Grayson, Charles Earn GNAC Weekly Awards

WINTHROP, Mass. - After strong performances at the USM Open II Saturday in Gorham, Maine, first-year competitor Harry Grayson (Lowell, Mass.) was named Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Male Track Athlete of the Week and GNAC Rookie of the Week, and sophomore Aiden Charles (Lowell, Mass.) received GNAC Male Field Athlete of the Week honors, announced Monday, Jan. 9, by the league office.

Grayson earned one of Regis' two event victories during the day, finishing first in the 55 meter hurdles in both the preliminaries in 8.27 seconds and the finals in 8.36 seconds. He also finished sixth in the high jump after clearing 1.80 meters (5' 10.75") on his first attempt as well as second in his heat and seventh overall in the 200 meter dash with a time of 24.28 seconds.

Charles finished third in the men's weight throw with a top mark of 11.94 meters (39' 2.25"), 1.73 meters further than his previous collegiate best. Competing in the shot put for the first time in college, he finished ninth with a mark of 9.67 meters (31' 8.75"). Charles also qualified for the finals of the 55 meter hurdles after finishing sixth in the preliminaries in 9.14 seconds, followed by a sixth place finish in the finals in 9.17 seconds.

Both Grayson and Charles also participated in the Pride's 4x200 meter relay team, helping the quartet finish in fourth place with an overall time of 1:46.03. The twosome accounted for 22 of the 33 points accumulated by the Pride men as Regis finished in sixth place in the team standings Saturday.

The majority of the Regis College track and field team will make the short trip to Waltham, Mass., for the Reggie Poyau Invitational, hosted by Brandeis University Saturday, Jan. 14. Some members of the team will head to The Track at New Balance for the Suffolk Invitational on the same day.