WALTHAM, Mass. – A member of each class, including senior Conor Higgins (Randolph, N.J./ Randolph HS), combined to break a 13-year-old school record in the men's 4x800 meter relay to top the list of achievements for the Bentley University men's and women's outdoor track teams during the New England Championships, which concluded Saturday at Westfield State College.

Higgins was followed on to the track by junior Christian Connolly (Kingston/Silver Lake Reg. HS), sophomore Sean Nee (West Yarmouth/Dennis-Yarmouth Reg. HS) and freshman Nik Haas (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey HS) with the quartet combining to finish sixth overall and first among Division II entries in 7:39.32. That was more than four seconds faster than the school record of 7:43.36 that was set at Princeton in 2001.

Unofficial splits had Higgins going out in 1:54.9. Connolly followed in 1:53.1, Nee posted a 1:54.2 and Haas closed in 1:57.1.

On the women's side, new PRs were established by senior Ashley Nichols (Kenmore, Wash./ Inglemoor HS) and junior Brynnan Farrington (Shirley/Ayer HS).

Nichols, on Friday afternoon, was 11th of 29 overall, and third among Division II runners, in the 5,000 meters. She finished in 17:41.57, third best in program history and an improvement by about 28 seconds on the personal best she achieved in last week's Northeast-10 Championships.

Farrington was the number one Division II finisher, and 12th of 24 overall, in the shot put as she exceeded 39 feet for the first time, finishing in 39'0.25". Only two women in program history have thrown the shot further.

Bentley was also represented in the New Englands by juniors Chris Ricci (Coventry, R.I./ Bishop Hendricken HS) and Steve Maffiolini (Southington, Conn./Southington HS), sophomore Samantha Albanese (Lynnfield/Lynnfield HS) and freshman Eric Beckwith (North Attleboro/North Attleboro HS).

Beckwith was 12th in the shot put (48'11"), Ricci placed 20th in the javelin (166'0"), Albanese was 28th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (12:11.45) and Maffiolini was 31st in the 400 meters (51.78).