GORHAM, Maine – The University of Southern Maine Huskies' men's track & field team opened the 2023-24 indoor season on Saturday with the USM Alumni Open at Gorham's Costello Sports Complex. The Huskies won five events on the day. Senior Ben Drummey (Biddeford, Maine) placed first in the pole vault, sophomore Christian Burke (York, Maine) and junior Jacob Jackson (Auburn, Maine/Edward Little) tied for first in the high jump, and freshman Corbin Flewelling (Old Town, Maine) won the long jump to round out the field event winners. On the track, freshman Nick Garey (Minot, Maine/Poland Regional) won the 300-meters and sophomore Maddox Cahill (Sunapee, N.H) finished first in the 500-meters.
 
Track Event Highlights:

• Juniors Chris Hatch (Westbrook, Maine) and Nate Fogg (Portland, Maine) placed second and third in the 55-meter dash. Both recorded a time of 6.78 seconds in the finals but Hatch slightly edged out Fogg at the finish line. Fogg's prelim time of 6.72 seconds tied for the fastest-time of the day.
• Garey won the 300-meters with a time of 36.33 seconds while senior Jayden Jacques (Sanford, Maine) placed fourth at 38.17 seconds.
• Cahill clocked a time of 1:07.34 to win the 500-meters.
• Sophomore Michael D'Amico (Belgrade Lakes, Maine/Messalonskee) placed third in the finals of the 55-meter hurdles at 8.54 seconds after recording the second-best time in the prelims at 8.38 seconds, a personal-best.
• The Huskies' "A" 4x400 relay team of Garey, freshman Cyrus Evans (Farmington, Maine/Mount Blue), senior Jack Pecoraro (Westbrook, Maine) and sophomore Jonathan Dalessandro (Westbrook, Maine) placed second with a time of 3:33.55.

 Field Event Highlights:

• Burke and Jackson cleared each of the first four heights in the high jump on their first attempt each time. After successfully clearing 1.88m they both failed at 1.93 to share the event title.
• Drummey handily won the pole vault and cleared 4.65m, 4.80m and 4.95m before failing at 5.13m, a height that would have broken his personal-best of 5.12m and set a new school record.
• Burke (4.20m) and D'Amico (3.90m) placed second and third in the pole vault.
• Flewelling had an impressive collegiate debut with his first-place finish in the long jump at 6.71m. His mark ties for the fifth-best individual mark in program history. Junior Treshaun Brown (Kittery, Maine) and freshman Dru Hyndman (Auburn, Maine/Edward Little) also recorded top-10 individual program marks in the event at 6.61m and 6.60m.
• Flewelling also had the best triple jump mark of collegiate competitors at 13.50m, a mark that ties for the seventh personal-best in program history. Jackson placed third in the event at 12.79m.
• Senior Kaleb Frey (Gray, Maine/Gray-New Gloucester) placed third in the weight throw with a toss of 13.00m.

 
Up Next:
The Huskies are off until January 6 when they host the USM Open II.
 
Team Scores:
1. Franklin Pierce (119) 2. Southern Maine (111) 3. Saint Joseph's (69).