Pittsburgh, Pa. ? The Robert Morris University men's track and field team looks to make a run at the 2008 Northeast Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships team title after finishing the first day of competition in fourth place Saturday afternoon at the RMU Island Sports Center. 

The Colonials earned 27 points from six events scored while defending NEC champion Monmouth locked up first place with 77, separating themselves by more than 30 points from the next closest competitor.

Sophomore Anthony Trunzo (Trafford, Pa. / Penn Trafford) and senior Phillips Thompson (New Castle, Pa. / Shenango) capped off the first day with silver medal performances. Trunzo took the honor in the men's pole vault with a mark of 4.50m while Thompson placed second in the 10,000-meter run, crossing the tape in 32:56.59.

Senior Aaron Gurskey (Weirton, W.Va. / Weir) captured bronze in the men's hammer throw with a toss of 55.53m.

Senior C.J. Ecalono (Monrovia, Md. / Urbana) qualified for the finals in the men's 400-meter dash with an IC4A and season-best mark of 47.78.

Freshmen Dewitt Hudson (Karns City, Pa. / Karns City), Charles Gladman (Philadelphia, Pa. / Cardinal Dougherty), D.J. Smith (DuBois, Pa. / DuBois) and John Uccellini (Indiana, Pa. / Indiana) also qualified for the finals in their respective events. Hudson made the cut in the men's 110-meter hurdles by clocking in at 16.00. Gladman qualified in two events, finishing the men's 100-meter and 200-meter dashes in 11.09 and 21.85. Smith and Uccellini anchored the 400-meter hurdles with Smith posting a time of 55.31 and Uccellini at 56.00.

Updated results of the 2008 NEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be posted online at www.rmucolonials.com periodically throughout the day.