Rhode Island College freshmen Haley Oliver (Coventry) and Milana Melvin (Johnston) were recognized by the Little East for their respective performances in women’s track & field at the Springfield Season Opener on Saturday, Dec. 3.

Oliver was named both the Little East Track Athlete of the Week and Rookie Track Athlete of the Week. She finished first in both the 1,000m (3:18.06) and the mile (5:33.07).

Melvin was named the Little East Rookie Field Athlete of the Week. She finished ninth in the shot (9.09m) and 12th in the weight throw (8.12m).

Head Coach Timothy Rudd’s team finished fourth (seven teams) with a team score of 58.0. Springfield took home the crown with 236.50 team points.

In upcoming action, Rhode Island College see action at UMass Boston’s Beacon Invite, held at the Track at New Balance (Boston, Mass.) on Saturday, Dec. 10 (9:30 a.m.).

The Rhode Island College 4,000m distance medley relay squad and freshman Ryan Hazard (Wakefield) were recognized by the Little East for their respective performances in men’s track and field at the Springfield Season Opener on Saturday, Dec. 3.

The quartet of freshman Dante DiGregorio (Smithfield), freshman Juan Reyes (Providence), sophomore Mahari Nayte (Providence) and sophomore Justin Dorsey (Warwick) was named the Little East Men’s Track Relay Team of the Week. They placed first in the 4,000m distance medley relay (11:13.25).

Hazard was named the Little East Rookie Field Athlete of the Week. He finished first in the shot (14.46m) and fifth in the weight throw (14.05m).

Rudd’s team finished second (seven teams) with a team score of 82.50. Springfield took home the crown with 272.0 team points.

RIC swimming takes 8th

Junior Olivia DeLuca (Providence) notched a second place finish as the Rhode Island College women’s swimming team placed eighth (eight teams) at the Bridgewater State Invitational on Saturday afternoon.

 Rhode Island College finished in eighth place (eight teams) with a team score of 188.0. Bridgewater State finished first with a team score of 758.5.

DeLuca finished second in the 200-yard butterfly (2:50.97), third in the 400-yard IM (5:33.80), sixth in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:57.71) and seventh in both the 200-yard medley relay (2:18.60) and 500-yard freestyle (6:12.84).

Junior Meghan Laflamme (Smithfield) finished fifth in both the 50-yard freestyle (27.51) and 200-yard backstroke (2:36.70), sixth in both the 200-yard freestyle (2:18.00) and the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:57.71) and seventh in the 200-yard medley relay (2:18.60).

Junior Rebecca Fyrer (Cranston) finished sixth in both the 200-yard IM (2:48.09) and the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:57.71), seventh in the 200-yard medley relay (2:18.60) and 10th in the 1,000-yard freestyle (13:45.47).

Junior Marta Matzko (Rumford) finished sixth in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:57.71), seventh in the 200-yard medley relay (2:18.60), 11th in the 200-yard backstroke (2:56.14), 13th in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:32.09) and 18th in the 50-yard freestyle (30.98).

Freshman Olivia Landry (Lincoln) placed seventh in the 100-yard butterfly (1:48.94), 19th in the 50-yard butterfly (46.78) and 26th in the 100-yard freestyle (1:30.64).

Freshman Juliana Cronin-Forman (North Kingstown) placed 10th in the 200-yard breaststroke (3:37.36), 14th in the 50-yard butterfly (35.05) and 17th in the 100-yard freestyle (1:11.62).

Junior Ciara Ahern (Bristol) finished 17th in the 100-yard IM (1:40.36), 18th in the 100-yard backstroke (1:37.14) and 25th in the 100-yard freestyle (1:28.21).

In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will compete at Western New England on Sunday, Jan. 8 (1 p.m.).

CCRI women remain unbeaten

The Community College of Rhode Island women’s basketball team continues to breeze through regional play following a pair of wins this week over rivals Roxbury Community College and UConn Avery Point.

Ranked No. 5 in the NJCAA Division III national poll, the Knights are now 6-1 after beating the Pointers, 98-55, Tuesday and trouncing the Tigers, 72-30, Thursday, both on the road. CCRI is 3-0 against its Region XXI foes with an average margin of victory of 51.3 points in those games.

The Knights have won with a balanced attack all season as four players – three of them sophomores – are currently averaging double figures in scoring, led by sophomore center Maggie Schwab (Narragansett) with 13.7 points per game and a team-high 9.1 rebounds. Sharp-shooting freshman guard Nysia Ortiz (Providence) and sophomore guard Chloe Rayko (Coventry) have been lethal from beyond the arc, connecting on 14 and 15 3-pointers, respectively, and sophomore guard Elizabeth Bruno (Providence) remains a steady presence in the backcourt, shooting 52.1 percent from the floor, averaging 10.0 points per game and a team-high 4.1 assists.

That versatility came in handy Tuesday against UConn Avery Point as Ortiz, in her first start of the season, scored a season-high 22 points followed by Schwab, who added 20 points on 10-of-15 shooting. Rayko scored 18 points and Bruno produced a well-balanced line with eight points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists. Sophomore forward Ashley Lima (Providence) and sophomore guard Michelle Moreno (Providence) added 16 rebounds apiece.

In Thursday’s win over Roxbury, sophomore guard Andrea Gabriel (North Kingstown) came off the bench for a team-high 17 points, including four 3-pointers. Lima and Schwab each posted double-doubles; Lima shot 7-of-12 from the floor and finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds while Schwab added 14 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks. The Knights shot 47 percent from the field and broke the game open with a 24-6 run in the opening quarter for their second win over the Tigers this season.