STORRS, Conn.—Freshman thrower
Theo Hedgemon (Atlanta, Ga.) finished fifth in the hammer and fifth year teammate
Tristan Bolinsky (Gordon, Pa.) placed eighth as Villanova got off to a strong start at the 2026 BIG EAST Outdoor Track and Field Championships Presented by JEEP on Thursday evening. Hedgemon and Bolinsky each scored in the hammer, while sophomore
Joe D'Adamo (Nanuet, N.Y.) posted a season best mark. The only other event on Thursday's docket at George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex was the 10000 meters later in the night. Junior distance runner
Nick Sullivan (Middletown, N.J.) tallied a ninth place finish in that race.
Hedgemon surged to a fifth place finish in the hammer with a mark of 52.88 meters. He was in sixth place after each of the 13 competitors in the event had taken their first three throws. Hedgemon then improved his best throw of the day on each of his last three throws, beginning with a mark of 52.56 meters which moved him up a spot into fifth place where he would ultimately finish. Hedgemon added to the mark with a throw of 52.73 meters before extending the distance another 15 centimeters on his final attempt. It is already the second time in Hedgemon's young collegiate career that he has been a BIG EAST scorer, as his fifth place finish in the hammer matched where he placed in the weight throw indoors earlier this year.
In his first of two competitions this weekend, Bolinsky threw 50.52 meters to finish in eighth place. He was never outside of scoring position in the top eight during the event, and his best throw of the day came on his fifth attempt. It is the 15
th time in Bolinsky's collegiate career that he has scored in a BIG EAST event indoors or outdoors. He has racked up 85 career points in the throws, the most ever by a Villanova athlete in the men's throwing events. Bolinsky is the school record holder and a former BIG EAST champion in the hammer. He will be back in action on Saturday afternoon to compete in the discus.
The third result for the Wildcats in Thursday's hammer competition came from D'Adamo, who threw 47.54 meters on his third attempt to improve his season best by nearly a full meter.
Sullivan ended the night with a time of 30:34.26 in his second 10000 meter race of the season. He finished in ninth place in what is scheduled to be his first of two events this weekend. Sullivan is also entered in the 5000 meters on Friday night.
