By Jim Fenton

MEDFORD, Mass. -- Bridgewater State University sophomore Drew Alves (Taunton, Mass.) earned All-New England honors with a record-setting performance at the Division III New England Indoor Track & Field Championships.

Alves placed eighth in the two-day heptathlon at Tufts University's Gantcher Center. The first four events took place Friday, and the final three were held on Saturday.

The top eight finishers in the heptathlon are All-New England performers.

With 4,069 points, Alves established a new Bridgewater State record, breaking a mark of 4,049 set by teammate Ryker King (Wareham, Mass.) in February 2025 at the Bruce Lehane Scarlet & White Invitational.

Alves was in 10th place after the first day and improved his standing after the 60-meter hurdles, the pole vault and the 1,000-meter race on Saturday.

Alves picked up enough points in those three events to move to eighth in an event that included 14 competitors.

Christian Burke of the University of Southern Maine was first with 4,822 points with his teammate Michael D'Amio second with 4,779 points.

Alves, making his first trip to the New Englands, began Saturday with a sixth-place finish in the hurdles with a time of 8.97 seconds to secure 752 points.

He tied for sixth in the pole vault with a height of 11 feet, 1 and 3/4 inches for 457 points.

In the last event, the 1,000, Alves was also sixth in 3:05.93 for 607 points.

On Friday, Alves was tied for fourth in the high jump, fifth in the 60-meter dash, 12th in the shot put and 13th in the long jump.

Alves is the first BSU competitor in the New England heptathlon sincre Jamie Carlson, who finished 10th in 2018 at Middlebury, Vt.

Earlier this season, Alves was sixth with 3,887 points at the Bates College Invitational & Multi.

The final day of the New England Championships is Sunday beginning at 10 a.m. at The Track at New Balance in Boston, Mass.

BSU entrants include King and graduate student Chigozie Adigwe (Lowell, Mass.) in the 60 hurdles, graduate student Kevin McBirney (East Bridgewater, Mass.) and junior Aydan Fournier (Assonet, Mass.) in the 800, senior Kyle Ackroyd (Charlestown, R.I.) in the 5,000, freshman Clayton Pastor Norales (New Bedford, Mass.) in the long jump, junior Matthew Mooney (Douglas, Mass.) in the 200, graduate student Landon Crowley (West Bridgewater, Mass.) in the 60, and the 4x400 relay team.

Five BSU women have also qualified, including sophomore Grace Inacio (Taunton, Mass.) in the 60 and 200, senior Kiara Abrantes (Somerset, Mass.) in the 200 and 400, graduate student Serenity Sands (East Bridgewater, Mass.) in the high jump, freshman Savana Malo (Milford, Mass.) in the long jump and senior Naomi Cass (Westport, Mass.) in the 5,000.