NEW ORLEANS, La. — Five student-athletes from the Saint Anselm College men's track & field team earned All-Region honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Athletes received the distinction by finishing in the top five of their individual events or as part of a top-three relay team.
"It's an honor to have any of our kids recognized for their talent in this region," said assistant coach Lexi Neuwirth, who specializes in sprints, hurdles, and the pole vault. "This is only our second year competing as a team, and to see us receiving this kind of recognition with such a young group is really great to see."
Freshman Logan Montgomery (Weare, N.H.) led the way with four All-Region selections, including one as part of the 4x400m relay alongside sophomore Samuel Jones (Salem, N.H.), sophomore Andres Infante (Marlborough, Mass.), and freshman Hunter Beaudoin (Sandown, N.H.). Freshman Peter Hogan (Newport, N.H.) rounded out the honorees, earning All-Region in the decathlon.
Montgomery was a dominant presence on the track, collecting All-Region honors in the 100m, 200m, 400m, and 4x400m relay. At the Northeast-10 (NE10) Outdoor Championships, he struck gold in the 400m with a time of 47.39—more than a full second ahead of the runner-up. "Watching Monty run is such a fun sight to see," said Neuwirth. "To see how he can effectively and effortlessly execute the race pattern is like no other. We are excited to see how he is going to progress with his three more years here at Saint Anselm."
He also claimed silver in the 200m (21.51) and the 4x400m relay (3:17.61). Although the 100m is not his primary event, Montgomery flashed his speed by winning his only official collegiate attempt at the Merrimack College Alumni Carnival with a blazing 10.54. "Monty ran a great race in the 100m at Merrimack," said Neuwirth. "The reason we didn't put him in the 100m at conference was because we knew we had other guys who could step up. I think it's important to add that Jaidin Haynes was able to be that guy."
Neuwirth continued to praise junior Jaidin Haynes (Sayreville, N.J.), the NE10 outdoor champion in the 100m. "Jaidin is an amazing athlete, and he took that spot and ran with it (pun intended). We almost swept the sprints this outdoor season for the men. We are excited as a coaching staff to see where this team is going to end up—it will be on top one day, and fairly soon."
While the collegiate outdoor season may be over, Montgomery is still training in preparation for the USA Track & Field U20 Championships, which begin June 19 in Eugene, Oregon. "When we recruited Monty, we knew he was going to be great," said Neuwirth. "Coach (Peter) Early and I understood that he was going to make a name for himself at Saint Anselm—we just didn't know his career would take off in the direction that it has."
Take off it has, with Montgomery qualifying for the 400m and earning the chance to test himself against some of the fastest U20 runners in the country.
Jones played a key role on the 4x400m relay, contributing to the team's second-place finish at NE10s. Individually, he notched a third-place finish in the 400m (51.33) at the Merrimack College Alumni Carnival and claimed second in the 200m (22.18) at the Ed Daniels Invite earlier in the season.
Infante, competing in the 4x400m for just the second time in his collegiate career, stepped up at NE10s. He showed growth in his second year, setting personal bests in the 100m (11.55), 200m (23.17), and 400m (51.66) this spring.
Beaudoin has been a staple of the 4x400m team all season and also helped the 4x100m relay team place fourth (44.08) at the Jim Boulanger Invitational. Individually, he posted top-six finishes and personal bests in the 100m (10.93), 200m (22.12), and 400m (50.36) across performances at the Ed Daniels Invite and the Merrimack Carnival.
"These four kids put in the work every day at practice. They show up ready and understand the job that needs to be done," said Neuwirth. "Especially with the 4x400m relay—not many of the athletes are fresh. They're most likely running on tired legs, but these four knew they had to work together and push through any fatigue to succeed."
Neuwirth added, "Our team is still very young. Most of our roster is freshmen and sophomores. Regardless of class, our coaching staff instills in these athletes that if you work hard, trust your training, and listen to your body, you're going to do great things."
"Peter Hogan is a kid who wore a three-piece suit to our recruitment meeting—so right from the beginning, we knew he meant business."
That business included showcasing his all-around talent with a third-place finish in the decathlon at the NE10 Championships, totaling 5,763 points. He placed first in the long jump (6.44m), shot put (11.37m), and high jump (1.93m). "Being a decathlete is something not everyone can do," said Neuwirth. "Peter juggles double practices with lifts, while also finding time to rehab his body so he can keep feeling fresh. He always shows up with a positive attitude and asks coaches how he can improve. It takes a special mindset to compete in 10 events over two days."
Hogan also earned a bronze medal in the high jump (1.95m) as an individual, competing against event specialists. Neuwirth praised his ability to refocus between events: "To push away thoughts from one event and focus on the next is difficult, and Peter handles it well. It's quite impressive for a freshman to medal at conference in both the decathlon and the open high jump. Peter doesn't quit—he's here to keep battling."
The future looks bright for Saint Anselm men's track & field. Neuwirth credited the coaching staff's broader mission: "We focus on not just athletic performance, but personal growth on and off the track. We want to build a well-rounded team with strong work ethics and positive attitudes."
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