By Jim Fenton

NORTON, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's indoor track & field team made it six straight Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference titles Sunday night.

The Bears coasted to another championship in a meet held at Wheaton College, compiling 237 points. Westfield State was second (136) followed by Fitchburg State (134) and Worcester State (71).

BSU won the MASCAC crown from 2018-20 and in 2022 and 2024. There were no championships meets in 2021, 2023 and 2025.

The Bears had six individual champions, led by graduate student Kevin McBirney (East Bridgewater, Mass.).

McBirney was first in the 600-meter race in 1:21.49, breaking his own school record of 1:21.68. He also eclipsed the meet record.

McBirney had established that mark at the Tufts University Branwen Smith-King Invitational on Jan. 17, breaking a record that had been set in 2013.

Another graduate student, Chigozie Adigwe (Lowell, Mass.) was first in the 60 hurdles with a time of 8.38 seconds.

Sophomore Joshua Cardichon (Brockton, Mass.) was also a winner, taking the 400 in 51.71 seconds. He also finished fourth in the 200 in 23.39.

Junior Brian Vale (Assonet, Mass.) topped the field in the 800 with a time of 2:01.27.

Junior Matthew Mooney (Douglas, Mass.) was the winner in the 200 with a time of 22.52. He also placed third in the 60 with a time of 7.07.

Senior Ryker King (Wareham, Mass.) prevailed in the pole vault with a leap of 13 feet, 1 and 1/2 inches.

King was second in the 60 hurdles with a time of 8.61.

The BSU 4x400 relay team of senior Chris Beaulieu (Monson, Mass.), senior Nicholas Grace (Acushnet, Mass.), McBirney and freshman Sean Venator (Manchester, N.H.) won their race in 3:28.48.

Graduate student Landon Crowley (West Bridgewater, Mass.) was second in the 60 with a time of 6.99 seconds and second in the 200 in 22.75.

Sophomore Drew Alves (Taunton, Mass.) took second in the high jump (5 feet, 11 and 1/2 inches) and was third in the 60 hurdles in 8.95 and tied for third in the pole vault (11 feet, 1 and 3/4 inches).

Senior Kyle Ackroyd (Charlestown, R.I.) was second in the 5,000 with a time of 15:29.73 and fourth in the mile in 4:36.84.

Beaulieu finished second in the 400 in 51.90 and sixth in the long jump (20 feet, nine inches).

Also placing second for BSU were junior Aydan Fournier (Assonet, Mass.) in the mile with a time of 4:23.10, freshman Clayton Pastor Norales (New Bedford, Mass.) in the long jump with a leap of 21 feet, 11 1/2 inches, freshman Tyler Amaral (Dartmouth, Mass.) in the 3,000 with a time of 9:20.76 and freshman Mason Veits (Tewksbury, Mass.) in the pole vault (12 feet, 1 and 1/2 inches).

The Bears took the top five spots in the 400 with Cardichon and Beaulieu followed by Venator, who was third in the 400, followed in fourth and fifth place by Grace and freshman Sam Chaple (Townsend, Mass.).

In the shot put, freshman Jayvon Lodge (Brockton, Mass.) was fifth with junior Kaelan McDonald (Washington, Conn.) seventh.

Behind McBirney in the 600 were sophomore Noah Johnson (Templeton, Mass.) in sixth and freshman Devin Morrow (North Billerica, Mass.) in seventh.

Freshman Evan Young (Winchendon, Mass.) placed fourth in the 60 hurdles to give BSU the top four spots and junior Owen MacKenzie (Plainville, Mass.) was fourth in the 800.

Senior Colin Daly (Easton, Mass.) finished third in the weight throw while freshman John Duffy (Franklin, Mass.) was fourth in the triple jump.

The 4x200 relay squad of Cardichon, sophomore Sam Chaple (Townsend, Mass.), sophomore Malachi Chansky (Millis, Mass.) and junior Joseph Garell (Swansea, Mass.) was second with the 4x800 team finishing third.

Next on the schedule for BSU is the Division III New England Championships in Boston on Feb. 28.