By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. — The four of them have combined to win 30 Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference individual titles, set eight school records and make 10 appearances in the NCAA Division III Track & Field Championships.
Serenity Sands (East Bridgewater, Mass.), Kiara Abrantes (Somerset, Mass.), Kevin McBirney (East Bridgewater, Mass.) and Chigozie Adigwe (Lowell, Mass.) have had distinguished careers with the Bridgewater State University women’s and men’s track & field programs.
When the Bears conclude the indoor season this winter, though, it will mark the end of a successful run in a BSU uniform for Sands, Abrantes, McBirney and Adigwe.
They are competing for the Bears one last time, taking advantage of one final season of eligibility that is available because there was no BSU indoor season in the winter of 2022-23.
Sands, Abrantes, McBirney and Adigwe have returned for a fourth and final indoor season after winding up their outdoor careers last May.
Three of them, Sands, McBirney and Adigwe, are graduate students while Abrantes had one semester of classes to complete this academic year.
The four have the chance to take care of some unfinished business this winter season before closing the curtain on their careers in March.
Here’s a look how four standing track & field athletes are approaching their last season with the Bears, the next meet taking place Jan. 17 at the Tufts University Branwen Smith-King Invitational:
SERENITY SANDS
A two-time NCAA Division III indoor All-American first-team performer in the high jump, Sands was originally planning to attend graduate school at Springfield College this academic year.
But a last-minute change in plans led Sands back to BSU where she is pursuing a Master’s degree in mental health counseling.
“I knew I wanted to do track one more season, and it was up in the air if I was going to be able to do it (at Springfield),” said Sands. “I knew I needed to figure out a way to do it. I knew I had potential and wanted to see how good I could get and that made it an easy decision.
“Then I decided Bridgewater was a better fit for me. I know I really trust the training of Coach K (Christine Kloiber) and that worked out well.”
Sands owns the BSU indoor high jump record of five feet, 8.5 inches. She finished fourth at the national meet during the 2023-24 indoor season and eighth a year ago for All-American honors.
Sands made four trips to the NCAAs in the outdoor season and has won MASCAC and Division III New England championships as one of the programs best high jumpers ever.
In her only competition this season, Sands first in the high jump (5-3) at the Art Kadish Elm City Challenge in New Haven, Conn.
Sands is looking for a strong finish to her career after placing 13th at the NCAAs last spring.
“Last spring was really disappointing for me,” said Sands. “Two weeks before the nationals, I jumped the highest in over a year. I felt pretty good momentum going into the meet and I felt pretty confident with what I could do.
“But I didn’t and it was pretty heartbreaking but also very motvating during the summer when I was working out. I want to place better at the national championship meet.”
Sands graduated from East Bridgewater High in 2019 but was away from track & field for two years before joining the BSU squad in the 2021-22 winter season.
Since then, she has been a consistent points producer for the Bears. Now, a career that has included 25 MASCAC athlete of the week honors is winding down.
“It’s bittersweet,” said Sands of having one more season. “It is scary and exciting. It’s scary because I have one more chance and I know I have really big goals. It’s exciting because I have nothing to lose and just have to give it my all.
“Ultimately, the goal is to be happy and know I did everything to finish my career with no regrets. Being at Bridgewater, it feels like home. I trust my teammates, my coaches wholeheartedly. It feels perfect that I get to wrap it up here where I started.”
KIARA ABRANTES
Abrantes owns BSU indoor records in the 200, 400 and 500 races as well as the outdoor 200 and 400.
She has won eight MASCAC championships (200 and 400) and was the Division III New England champion in the 400 last spring.
Abrantes competed in the NCAA Championships last winter and spring in the 400 and has a goal to be back on the national stage this March before finishing her career.”This winter season, I really hope to be back at nationals and I would love to be an All-American in the 400,” said Abrantes, a secondary education major.
Abrantes started this season by winning the 300 at the Suffolk Relays and placing first in the 400 at the Boston University Mini-Meet with an improved time from a year ago.
It has been a superb start in the grand finale season of a career to remember.
“I never would have thought I would have gotten this far,” said Abrantes. “I’ve made my younger self so proud.
“I’m happy with the career, but I still want more. I’m so proud of myself, but I want a little bit more from my track career and then I’ll be satisfied.”
Abrantes was part of the 4×100 relay team that finished sixth in the nationals last spring in addition to competing individually in the 400 during the winter and spring at the NCAAs.
“It was amazing (to be at the NCAAs), but also super nerve-wracking,” she said. “You get there and look around and you don’t recognize many faces or the schools. Everything is just so much more official. It kind of got to me a little bit, but I’m so happy that I have that experience.
“I know exactly what it’ll be like and I’ll be a little more calm and less anxious if I get back there.”
Abrantes, who will pursue a Master’s degree in special education after graduating, thinks back to the 2021-22 season and how far she has traveled at BSU, overcoming shin splints from a stress reaction.
“I’ve been thinking about it so much,” she said. “It almost makes me emotional. Having it end in the winter is so strange because I’m used to having a full season.
“Thinking about it coming to an end in the winter is devastating, but also it motivates me because I want to be the best athlete I can be. It’s really pushing me to dig deep and go after my dreams.”
KEVIN McBIRNEY
The BSU indoor record-holder in the 800 and 1,000, McBirney has won 12 MASCAC track & field championships and one in cross country.
He took part in the NCAA Division III Championships last winter and has been an All-New England performer.
McBirney missed time in 2022 due to a stress fracture in his left leg but returned to be one of the region’s top runners.
Now pursuing a Master’s degree in management after graduating last spring, McBirney opened this season by winning the 800 at the Suffolk Relays and placing second at the BU Mini-Meet.
After racing at the NCAAs last March, McBirney wants to get back to that level and improve on his time.
“I want to be an All-American at the end of the year,” said McBirney. “That’s been the goal since I got here and especially since the season ended last year.
“You have one more chance at doing this. You feel like you don’t want to leave anything on the table. It was pretty much a no brainer for me to come back.”
McBirney made an impact right away as a freshman, winning the 1,000 and the mile at the indoor MASCACs and the 800 and 1,500 at the outdoor meet.
He was unsure about attending college while in high school, then didn’t know if he’d run track while at BSU. Now, McBirney has a long list of accomplishments with the Bears.
“I’m not satisfied at all, but at the same time, I didn’t think I’d be doing any of this,” said McBirney. “It’s been better than I expected.
“I’d be a lot more satisfied if I finished top eight in the winter at the NCAAs. But it’s been good. It’s been ups and downs, things I accomplished and things I haven’t accomplished yet that I want to.”
The first two races of the final season have been productive for McBirney, who has four meets before the MASCACs on Feb. 15.
“I feel like I’m completely different than where I was a year ago,” said McBirney. “Me and my coach have been training really hard and I feel like I’m a lot different. The first two meets reflected that. It’s the fastest I’ve run in December since I’ve been here.
“It’s a little bit sad (running one last season). I’m putting everything into it, 100 percent. I feel like I do my best work when the clock is running out, my back’s against the wall. You’re never going to get this again, the college feel of competitiveness, so it’s sad.”
CHIGOZIE ADIGWE
Adigwe graduated last May with a degree in computer science and is studying for a Master’s in cyber security now.
A seven-time MASCAC champion as a hurdler, Adigwe reached the NCAAs during the indoor season of 2021-22 when he was a freshman.
Adigwe has been the MASCAC athlete of the week 11 times and has earned Division III All-New England honors five times along the way.
“I had one more shot at it and I wanted to give it a go again,” said Adigwe of returning this season. “It’s kind of bittersweet. Track has been a part of my life for so long. To have it end is bittersweet. I’m trying to make the most of it.”
Adigwe opened last month by finishing first at the 60 hurdles at the Suffolk Relays.
He put in plenty of preparation to get ready for the finale.
“Going into this year, I have way more experience and now it’s about me combining all that experience and giving it one last push, one last spark.
“I’m going to take every meet, do what I have to do and then be ready for the next one. I’m going to put my best foot forward every meet.”
Adigwe, who would like to do some track & Field coaching in the future, won the 110 hurdles four straight outdoor seasons in the MASCAC and the 400 hurdles three years. He was second in New England as a freshman in the 60 hurdles.
Adigwe is looking forward to his last season on the track, hoping to make the most out of it.
“My ultimate goal is to be a national champion,” said Adigwe. “That’s what everyone wants. My main goal is to get myself back to 100 percent. Once I’m there, it’s to do better than my PR and keep climbing from there on.
I would say I’m satisfied with my career. It’s been a pretty good career. Some seasons didn’t end the way I wanted, but overall, it was a pretty good career.”
