Complete Results
 
BRONX, NY—The NJIT men's and women's indoor track and field teams opened up the 2013 season at the Annual Fordham Season Opener at Lombardi Center Fieldhouse Friday evening.
 
Teams featured at the meet included: Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Cross Country Conference Champion Iona, IC4A Cross Country Team Champion and host Fordham, Stony Brook, Providence, Fairleigh Dickinson, St. Francis Brooklyn and NJIT.
 
NJIT had quite a few top 6 performers Friday, including several first-place finishes at the Fordham Season Opener. 
 
Junior John Porteous competed in different events from last year, claiming the 200m title (22.4) while finishing second in the 60 meter dash (6.8) and sixth in the men's long jump (6.20m; 20-04.25).
 
Freshman Emmanuel Agyen placed third in both the 60 meter dash (6.9) and 200 meter run (23.7) while Norman Hamilton finished fourth in the 800 meter run with a personal best (2:02.2) for the event for the Highlanders.
 
Sophomore Jason Poppe returned where he left off last season by breaking the NJIT high jump and triple jump school records.  He placed first in the triple jump (13.14m; 43-01.50), second in the high jump (1.90m; 6-02.75) and fourth in the 60H (9.0). 
 
Newcomer Kwadwo Banahene made his debut with a second-place finish in the triple jump (12.31m; 40-04.75) while Josh Ugweneri finished third with a distance of (12.28m; 40-03.50).
 
On the women side, Kelsey Jackson won the women's high jump (1.45m; 4-09.00) and placed third in the 60 meter dash (8.2). 
 
Freshman Cristina De Cristofaro and Kelli Hesse placed fourth (4.68m; 15-04.25) and sixth (4.45m;14-07.25) respectively in the women's long jump.  Gabi Whalen placed fifth in the women's shot put and sixth in the women's weight throw.
 
Head Coach Al Alonso commented on the performance of his team Friday, "We used this meet to see where we are in training and gauge what we need to do to get to the post season."  "Overall, I was very happy with our performances compared to where we were last year at this meet.   Almost everyone that competed last year at this meet had improved their performances this year in the same events."
 
 
NJIT will return to action on Sunday at the FDU Patch Invitational in Teaneck, NJ.