Courtesy Fitchburg State Sports Information

FITCHBURG, Mass. (May 20, 2013) – Senior Zach Desrochers (Dracut, Mass./Greater Lowell) will represent Fitchburg State University this week at the 2013 NCAA Track & Field Division III National Championships hosted by the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (La Crosse, WI) on May 23rd and 24th.

Desrochers currently ranks 12th among all Division III throwers in the men’s discus, collecting his second trip to the big dance after qualifying for nationals in March (Indoor Track & Field). The senior thrower earned a trip the NCAA Division III National Championships after witnessing a huge week at the MASCAC/Alliance Championships in late April. Desrochers set his NCAA qualifying mark in the event with a MASCAC/Alliance record throw of 51.02 meters, earning an Alliance Championship in the process.

In addition to his national accolades, Desrochers also fared well at the DIII New England Championships, All-New England Championships and ECAC Championships. At the DIII’s, Desrochers claimed a pair of DIII-NE honors, finishing third in the hammer throw (53.99m) and fifth in the discus (46.85m). The third year Falcon also garnered All-New England accolades at the All-NE Championships, posting a mark of 47.37m (3rd) in the discus and 56.29m (4th) in the hammer, before rounding out his post-season performances this past weekend at the ECAC Championships with a pair of third place efforts in the discus (47.59m) and the hammer throw (56.33m).

For each women’s individual event including the heptathlon, the top 22 declared student-athletes were accepted into the competition, while for each men’s individual event including the decathlon, the top 20 declared student-athletes were accepted into the competition.

The Fitchburg State men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams concluded their seasons this past weekend as members of the squads competed at the ECAC Championships hosted by Springfield College.