Photo Courtesy of Susquehanna Athletics
By Abrielle Tutino
The Susquehanna University men’s track and field team captured the Landmark Conference Indoor Track & Field Championship in Selinsgrove on Saturday, February 28th, finishing with 191.33 points to secure its fifth consecutive indoor title and sixth overall.
The River Hawks pieced together a strong team performance across the meet, combining key victories, relay success and multiple podium finishes to pull ahead of Moravian, who finished second with 173 points.
Susquehanna entered the championship tied with Moravian at the top of the conference’s pre–championship poll, setting up a competitive battle. The River Hawks ultimately gained separation throughout the day with six event victories, five on the track and one in the field, along with valuable scoring finishes across the roster.
One of the biggest individual performances of the meet came from sprinter and hurdler Calder Diakite, who captured victories in both the 60-meter hurdles and the 200-meter dash. His performance earned him Landmark Conference Track Athlete of the Year honors while also providing a major boost to the River Hawks’ team score.
Diakite first made his mark in the 60-meter hurdles, posting the fastest time in the preliminary round before delivering a record-tying performance in the finals. He crossed the line in 8.10 seconds, matching the Landmark Conference record while also setting a personal best and recording one of the fastest times in NCAA Division III this season.
Later in the meet, Diakite returned to the track for the 200 meters and again finished first with a time of 22.53 seconds. Susquehanna dominated the event as teammates Mason Winslow and Dominic Santos followed closely behind, finishing second and third to combine for 24 team points in the race.
Winslow also delivered a major performance earlier in the meet, winning the 400 meters with a
time of 50.16 seconds. His victory helped continue the River Hawks’ momentum during the championship competition.
“The main thing that sets our team apart from the rest of the conference is our energy and work ethic,” Winslow said. “The whole team shows up to every practice ready to work and get better every day. Having a team and coaches that love the sport and work hard really helps set us apart from other teams.”
Susquehanna’s success extended beyond the sprint events as several athletes contributed key performances throughout the meet. Derick Blair opened the day on the track with a win in the 5,000 meters, finishing in 15:10.24 after holding off Moravian’s Cole Stanchina in a close race.
Blair later added another scoring performance with a fifth-place finish in the 3,000 meters.
In the field events, Seth Taub earned another victory for the River Hawks by winning the pole vault with a mark of 4.15 meters. Hayden Durst also earned Susquehanna valuable points in the event with a fourth-place finish.
The River Hawks also came out on top in the 4×200-meter relay, where the group of Santos, Henry Notarfrancesco, Nate Frankenfield and Owen Nugent edged Moravian with a time of 1:30.99.
Beyond the event victories, Susquehanna continued to add points with several strong podium finishes. Santos placed second in the 60 meters, while Charles Montross and Austin Hurrell finished second and third in the long jump. Thrower Cole Goodwin also contributed with a second-place finish in the shot put and fourth place in the weight throw.
Diakite credited the coaching staff for helping prepare the team throughout the season and putting athletes in position to succeed at the conference meet.
“Our coaches are so effective because of their dedication and commitment to the team and pushing everyone to be at our best,” Diakite said. “Their knowledge of the sport and how to train the right way really gives us an advantage.”
That preparation was recognized following the meet as head coach Ethan Senecal and his staff were named the Landmark Conference Men’s Coaching Staff of the Year.
With victories across multiple events and contributions from athletes throughout the roster, the River Hawks once again demonstrated the depth and consistency that has defined the program during its run of conference success.