The NCC men’s track and field team started their 2022 season back on Jan. 15 when the team won five events at the Cardinal Opener. Jamauri Spivery, ’22, and the men’s track and field team impressed early on. Along with the early success, there have been some impressive performances over the past couple of weeks that add to the program’s storied history.
Field events
Head coach Frank Gramarosso emphasized that the field events athletes are continuing to build up to the level the track events athletes are at. The return of All-American high jumper, Nick Janca, ‘22, definitely helps the team in the field. Janca postponed his graduation last year and he used his COVID year of eligibility to compete another year for NCC. So far this season the senior has placed second in the event at the Cardinal Opener, first at the Snow Day Invitational and second at the Pat Heenan Invitational.
Other notable performances have come from Brian Armstrong, ‘22, who won the long jump at the Cardinal Opener and Gavin Carr, ‘23, who finished second in the pole vault at the Cardinal Opener and first at the Snow Day Invite.
“We are moving in the right direction and we will continue preparing each week for the CCIW Indoor Championship,” said Coach Gramarosso. “It’s shaping up to be a tough three-team challenge with NCC, Wheaton and Carthage all looking to win the championship.”
Overall, the program finished third overall out of nine total teams at the Heenan Invitational. The team will host one more event, the F. Lee Slick Invitational this Friday, Feb. 19 before competing in the CCIW Indoor Championship hosted by Carthage College the weekend of Feb. 25 inside Tarble Arena.
Spivery’s record sprint
Spivery, was one of the top performers for the Cardinals during the 2021 season. Last year, Spivery set a school record in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.99 seconds. He also finished first place in the 100 and 400×100 meter relay in last year’s CCIW Outdoor Championship. This season the senior upped his game and he broke his own record in the 60-meter dash at the Cardinal Opener with a time of 6.98 ranking him second in the CCIW and 31st nationally. A week later he once again broke his own record at the Snow Day Invitational, he lowered his time of 6.98 to 6.87 putting him in a tie for seventh fastest nationally among NCAA Division III competitors.
“It gives an athlete about seven seconds to really give it their all and it creates a sort of focus to prove yourself,” said Spivery as he talked about the beauty of sprinting the 60-meter dash.
One of the most important things when it comes to the 60-meter dash is technique and Spivery having full trust in his coach’s plan to make him the best possible athlete.
During the indoor portion of the season, along with the 60-meter dash, he also competes in the 200-meter dash. At the Aurora Grand Prix on Jan. 29, Spivery finished the 200-meter dash in 10th place with a time of 22.82, his personal best.
“Even though our events are separate, this is a team effort and I go out and perform to achieve the goal of a team championship,” said Spivery.
