Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Soars to Second Place at 2025 America East Championships

Durham, NH – The UMBC men’s outdoor track and field squad finished as the runner-up at the 2025 America East Championships this past weekend at New Hampshire University. The result is UMBC’s best since the 2017 season and the seventh time they have finished second since joining the league in 2004.

UMBC recorded 145 points, finished only behind UAlbany (163.50), and took the gold medal in three different events. Sophomore Alpha Balde set a new meet record in the 200-meter dash, junior losif Papa won the discus, and the Retrievers’ 4 x 800 relay also took first.

Balde, who also grabbed the silver medal in the 100-meter dash at 10:53, turned in the second-fastest time in program history (David Bobb, 20.63) with a time of 20.81 to take the 200-meter dash.

Papa’s throw of 56.65 meters (185’10”) in the discus gave him his second career gold medal at the outdoor championships.

The Retrievers struck gold in the 4 x 800 relay, with freshman Justin Banks, freshman Joseph Ensor, graduate student Mark Unger, and sophomore Tyler Edson winning by nearly two seconds.

Several Retrievers came home with silver medals over the weekend. Senior Marquis Miller grabbed second in the 400 meters (47.52), freshman John Dinnall (110 hurdles, 14.67), Ethan Hart (shot put, 16.53 meters, 54’2.75″), and senior Toren Burr (javelin, 60.77 meters, 199’4″).

UMBC’s 4 x 400 relay also finished second with a time of 40.43. The foursome comprised graduate student Jaeden Burke, Balde, Miller, and freshman Alim Raji.

Edson (800 meters, 1:48.97), Raji (200-meter dash, 21.30), and the 4 x 400 relay (3:12.36, Miller, Fred-Morgan Iheanacho, Raji, Balde) all turned in bronze medal performances. 

Unger just missed a medal with a fourth-place finish in the 1500 meters (3:54.01), as did Ensor in the 800 meters (1:49.86).