SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Suffolk men's indoor track & field sent its largest contingent of student-athletes in program history to Springfield's Field House over the weekend to compete at the NCAA Division III New England Championships.  

In his second regional race, Matyas Csiki-Fejer ran in the 3000 at the event for the first in his career. The sophomore from St. Louis, Missiouri, notched an 8:44.61 to finish just outside of all-region recognition in ninth place, 1.16 seconds behind eighth-place performer Ajay Sarathy of Amherst. 

Csiki-Fejer awas the closer of the historic Suffolk's Distance Medley Relay team that opened New Englands Friday night and was the first-ever blue-and-gold relay team to compete at regionals. The group, that was comprised of Hunter Toyoda, Robert Solari, Cole Bolduc and Csiki-Fejer, took 14th in the field of 17. The quartet ran the event in 11:03.47 to place ahead of GNAc counterparts Saint Joseph's (Maine) and Emmanuel, who placed 15th and 16th, respectively.  

The Rams had another relay team in Western Massachusetts over the weekend as well with the 4x400 group of Connor Baston, Joshua Smith, Solari and Connor Abbotoni. That foursome, who all made their first regional trip, combined for a 3:30.91 to take 14th out of 20. That finish was better than Suffolk's competition. 

Michael Balestra became the first-ever Suffolk field athlete to compete at New Englands. The sophomore, who calls Lincoln, Rhode Island home, logged a 14.96 toss to place in the middle of the 24-competitor pack in 12th.  

Suffolk has one meet left before nationals, the Last Chance National Qualifer, Saturday, March 7 at Tufts' Gantcher Field House.