River Hawks Kick Off Outdoor Season at Raleigh Relays

Freshman Alessandra Forgione breaks school record in javelin throw

Mar. 27, 2026 at 3:33am

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A small group of UMass Lowell track and field athletes competed at the Raleigh Relays at NC State on Thursday, kicking off the outdoor season. Freshman Alessandra Forgione highlighted the day, breaking the UMass Lowell women's javelin record with an impressive 44.60m throw to claim ninth place. Other notable performances included graduate student Jan Wouter van den Akker finishing 15th in the 10,000m and several freshmen making strong debuts in the 5,000m.

Why it matters

The Raleigh Relays is a highly competitive early-season meet that allows UMass Lowell's track and field team to measure their progress against top competition from across the region. Strong individual performances, like Forgione's school record, demonstrate the program's continued development and ability to attract talented student-athletes.

The details

In addition to Forgione's record-breaking javelin throw, other River Hawks had impressive showings. In the men's 1,500m, graduate student Brendan Fennell finished 185th. In the 3,000m steeplechase, senior Will Simard placed 65th. In the 5,000m, freshmen James Cruse, William Simard, and Will Forgione finished 125th, 128th, and 170th respectively. Graduate student Jan Wouter van den Akker led the way in the 10,000m with a 15th-place finish, while fellow graduate student Evan Lema claimed 65th.

  • The Raleigh Relays took place on Thursday, March 26, 2026.

The players

Alessandra Forgione

A freshman on the UMass Lowell women's track and field team who broke the school's javelin record in her first collegiate outdoor meet.

Brendan Fennell

A graduate student on the UMass Lowell men's track and field team who competed in the 1,500m.

Will Simard

A senior on the UMass Lowell men's track and field team who competed in the 3,000m steeplechase.

Jan Wouter van den Akker

A graduate student on the UMass Lowell men's track and field team who finished 15th in the 10,000m.

Evan Lema

A graduate student on the UMass Lowell men's track and field team who competed in the 10,000m.

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What they’re saying

“It was a good first day. Wouter finishing in the top 15 in the best 10k in the East this season is a phenomenal effort. Humidity hurt a lot of the distance times but we competed very well. James, Will and Will had great 5k debuts and that is going to be a special group. Alessandra might have had the best debut in our program history. To set a school record in your first competition is amazing.”

— Head Coach

What’s next

A new group of River Hawks will compete in day two of the Raleigh Relays on Friday, March 27, while the rest of the men's and women's teams will take part in the D'Amour Invitational at home in Lowell.

The takeaway

The strong performances by UMass Lowell's track and field athletes at the highly competitive Raleigh Relays demonstrate the program's continued growth and ability to attract top talent. Freshman Alessandra Forgione's school record in the javelin throw highlights the promising future of the team.