Michael Balestra
Michael Balestra
Height: 5-8
Weight: 165
Year: So.
Hometown: Lincoln, R.I.
High School: Lincoln
Major: Political Science

• Also a member of Suffolk's outdoor track & field team.
• First Suffolk male student-athlete to compete at NCAA DIII New England Championships in a field event.

SOPHOMORE  2019-20
GNAC Field Athlete of the Year ... GNAC Champion in the weight throw ... All-GNAC in the weight throw ... Captain ... Qualified for the New England Regionals in the weight throw behind a 14-59-meter toss, good for third, at the Emmanuel Invitational (Dec. 7) ... Broke the 50-foot barrier in the weight throw with a 15.30-meter performance, good for sixth, at Northeastern's Joe Donahue Games (Dec. 14) ... Pushed a 14.46 weight throw at Tufts Invitational (Jan. 18) ... Took fourth in the weight throw at MIT's Art Farnham Invitational with a 15.03-meter toss (Jan. 25) ... Named GNAC Field Athlete of the Week (Jan. 27) ... Claimed eighth in the weight throw behind a 15.06-meter toss against the top 10 weight throwers in New England at Tufts' Branwen Smith-King Invitational (Feb. 1) ... Repeated as GNAC Field Athlete of the Week (Feb. 3) ... Logged a 14.49 weight throw toss, good for third, at Plymouth State's Panther Invitational (Feb. 8) ... Garenred his third straight GNAC Field Athlete of the Week (Feb. 10) ... Behind a 15-45-meter toss claimed GNAC Champion status in the weight throw (Feb. 16) ... Produced a 14.7-1meter performance in the weight throw at the USATF New England Indoor Championships, good for second (Feb. 23) ... Logged a 14.96-meter toss to place in the middle of the 24-competitor pack in 12th at NCAA DIII New England Championships (Feb. 28). 

FRESHMAN  2018-19
Made his collegiate debut in the weight throw at the 2018 UMass Boston Winter Open (Dec. 1) ... Placed sixth in a field of 18 in the weight throw behind a toss of 13.30 M at the RIC Invitational (Dec. 8) ... Took 17th out of 49 competitors in the weight throw thanks to a 13.46 m throw at Tufts' Branwen Smith-King Invitational (Jan. 26) ... Participated in the weight throw at Plymouth State's Panther Invitational (Feb. 2) ... Took part in the weight throw (13.52 M) at the USATF New England Championships (Feb. 17). 

ACADEMICS
GNAC All-Academic Team honoree in 2019-20 ... Member of Suffolk's 4.0 Club in Fall 2018 ... Four-time AD Honor Roll selection (Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020).

BEFORE SUFFOLK LINCOLN
Letterwinner in both indoor and outdoor track & Field at Lincoln and captained the team as a senior ... FInished 10th at the outdoor New Balance National Championships ... Attended the indoor New Balance National Championships ... Coaches Award recipient in 2016.