WASHINGTON – Georgetown University's Joshua Paige stole the show on the final day of the 2023 BIG EAST Outdoor Track & Field Championships, presented by JEEP, as he was named the Men's Most Outstanding Track Performer for the second-consecutive year. He successfully defended his 100- and 200-meter titles at the league championships held at Villanova's Jumbo Elliott Track at Villanova Stadium on the University's campus in Pennsylvania. Paige was responsible for a pair of Georgetown's six total titles from the three-day meet where the men finished sixth (87 points) of eight teams and the women were fifth (97 points) of nine teams.
 
ON THE RECORD
"The team finish by our men and women wasn't what we were aiming for, but we had some impressive performances nonetheless by several of our student-athletes. Parker Stokes setting a new facility record in the 3,000m steeplechase was certainly one of them. Josh Paige retaining his sprint double title, winning the 100 and 200 and running a great leg on our 4x400m was also a major highlight for sure; leading to his most outstanding track performer recognition. On the women's side we also had a repeat winner with Melissa Riggins retaining her 800m title, a feat not easily done in our conference. And what an anchor leg by Maya to pull out the win in the 4x400m relay, the first time that's been done by a Georgetown team in some time. We appreciate the effort by the entire team but in particular our senior class, who has shown grit and commitment to help maintain our long tradition of excellence in track & field here on the Hilltop. We look forward to continuing the season for those who have regional qualifying marks/times. A lot of running left for this outdoor season." - Director of Track & Field / Cross Country Alton McKenzie
 
HOYA HIGHLIGHTS

• Paige became the first Hoya in program history to win back-to-back 100-meter crowns as he clocked 10.51 in the event, making up ground in the second half of the race and inching past UConn's Joseph O'Brien, winning the race by one-hundredth of a second.
• Paige more easily claimed the 200-meter title as he clocked 20.85, a season best, and enough to hold off DePaul's Michael Stanley (21.01).
• Melissa Riggins also successfully defended her 800-meter crown as she narrowly missed the meet record, crossing the finish line at 2:05.27. Teammate Sami Corman finished seventh in the event with a time of 2:08.99.
• The quartet of Renee Newton, KC Ashiogwu, Jadah Fitzgerald and Maya Drayton picked up 10 points with a win in the women's 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:44.32. Fitzgerald did a lot of work on the third leg to close the gap on St. John's while Drayton's anchor was the third-fastest in the field and enough to overtake the Red Storm. It was the first GU title in the event since 2014.
• A trio of Hoyas scored points in the women's 1,500-meter run as Chloe Gonzalez finished second (4:16.89), followed by Grace Jensen in fourth (4:17.95) and Andrea Claeson in fifth (4:19.09).
• Angeline Caamano, Riggins, Claeson and Jensen teamed up and finished second in the women's 4x800-meter relay. Providence was able to lead wire to wire with the Hoyas handily defeating the remainder of the field with a time of 8:41.42.
• The quartet of Matt Rizzo, Camden Gilmore, Matthew Payamps and Parker Stokes took the track, looking to defend GU's title from a season ago. Leading through the first two legs, it was the third handoff that saw the changing of the guard as Villanova took the lead on its home track. Stokes, on the anchor leg, made up a lot of ground on the first lap of his leg but as the Wildcats found another gear, it took a meet and facility record to prevent the Hoyas from first place as they finished second (7:19.73).
• In the men's 1,500-meter run, Payamps and Gilmore made a move through the final 200 meters but VU's Sean Donaghue on his home track was able to find another gear and take the crown. Payamps finished third (3:45.06) and Gilmore was fourth (3:45.46).
• Eni Akinniyi made the podium in the women's triple jump with a mark of 11.93m on her fifth attempt in the event.
• Abel Teffra was one of three Hoyas to finish among the top six as he made the podium with a third-place showing (1:51.33) in the 800-meter run. Teffra made his move on the inside coming off the final turn to close on a 52.46 split over the final 400 meters. Theo Woods and Rizzo finished fifth (1:51.79) and sixth (1:52.17), respectively.
• Newton and Grace Smiechowski finished fourth (1:02.15) and sixth (1:03.00), respectively, in the women's 400-meter hurdles to pick up eight points for the Blue & Gray.
• The Hoya men turned in a fourth-place finish in the men's 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:12.50.
• Drayton picked up another five points for the Blue & Gray with a fourth-place finish in the women's 400-meter dash. Fitzgeraldn and Drayton added seven points in the 200-meter dash with fifth- and sixth--place finishes, respectively.
• The men's 110-meter high hurdles saw Malachi Quarles pick up points for Georgetown with a sixth-place showing.
• In the men's triple jump, Noah Toole provided points for the Blue & Gray with a jump of 11.28m.

 
OF NOTE

• Paige becomes just the third person in BIG EAST history to earn a pair of Men's Outstanding Track Performer honors and is the only one to outright earn the accolade in back-to-back years. Seton Hall's Kevin Lyles achieved the feat in 1993 and 1995 while Notre Dame's Christopher Giesting earned the accolade in 2012 and 2013 but shared the honor with Pitt's Carvin Nkanata in the latter season.
• In four of the last six championships, a Georgetown student-athlete has been named the BIG EAST Men's Outstanding Track Performer with Paige earning the honor in 2023 and 2022 and Amos Bartelsmeyer and Joe White in 2018 and 2017, respectively.
• Paige is now the second person in Hoya history to win back-to-back men's 200-meter dashes. He joins Chris Brown (1989, 1990) as the lone Hoya to achieve the feat.
• Riggins' back-to-back 800-meter titles makes her the first Hoya and just the second athlete in league history to win back-to-back titles joining Villanova's Patty Bradley (1983 and 1984).

 
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
Men: 1. UConn (284);  2. DePaul (127); 3. Villanova (122); 4. Marquette (89); 5. Butler (88); 6. Georgetown (87); 7. Providence (33); 8. Xavier (19)
Women: 1. UConn (214.5); 2. St. John's (129.5); 3. DePaul (123.5); 4. Villanova (108); 5. Georgetown (97); 6. Marquette (57.5); 7. Butler (56); 8. Providence (49); 9. Xavier (18)
 
UP NEXT
The Hoyas will be off until May 24-27 when the squads travel to Jacksonville, Florida for the 2023 NCAA Track & Field East Preliminary Championships.