Ben Miklovich gave himself a tough act to follow in his first season of college track and field.

So far, the New Gloucester native’s sophomore year is shaping up as a worthy sequel.

Seven months after winning a relay national championship for Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., Miklovich returned to the track with a flourish in the first meet of his indoor season.

Miklovich combined with Mark Williamson, Olufuncho Olagundoye and Michael Read to finish third in the 4×200 on Jan. 9 at the Dartmouth Relays.

Bronze is a stellar accomplishment at the Darmouth event, which features from throughout the northeast in all three NCAA classifications. Wheaton is a Division III program.

Wheaton won the 4×400 relay at the 2010 outdoor national meet. Miklovich earned All-America recognition in the event at both the indoor and outdoor venues.

Four-part harmony

While the rest of us were digging out from only the second substantial snowstorm of the season this past week, Andrew Brodsky of Auburn (Edward Little) was reflecting upon a successful trip to Florida.

This wasn’t the usual fun-and-sun you might expect from a winter break, although there was ample time for it. Brodsky’s best souvenir was a victory with his Hamilton (N.Y.) College swim team.

Brodsky was part of the triumphant 200-yard freestyle relay quartet in Wheaton’s race Jan. 5 against the University of Rochester. The meet was held in Deerfield Beach, Fla.

In addition, Brodsky contributed individual points to the Hamilton victory, finishing fourth in the 50 backstroke and third in the 50 freestyle.

League leaders

Two local athletes have earned early-season recognition from the Little East Conference on behalf of the University of Southern Maine men’s indoor track team.

Auburn’s Matt Harmon (Edward Little) was named the league’s field athlete of the week prior to the holidays.

Harmon won both the weight throw and shot put in the Bowdoin College Preseason Invitational, setting a school record in the weight throw in the process.

That hot hand carried over to last week’s USM Invitational, where Harmon again won the weight throw and was runner-up in shot put. Harmon has qualified for New England Division III championship competition in the weight throw.

Aaron Paiton of Minot (Hebron Academy) was selected Little East rookie field athlete of the week for the period ending Jan. 9.

Paiton set a New England qualifying mark with his second-place finish in the high jump.

Quick hits

— Wentworth Institute of Technology extended its men’s basketball winning streak to five games Saturday with a 64-46 victory over Roger Williams. EL grad Corey Therriault scored nine points, including two 3-pointers.

— Sam Leclerc of Fayette (Winthrop) has transferred from Division I Bryant to Division II Bentley and is a fixture in the men’s basketball starting lineup. Leclerc is averaging 7.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game and is second on the team in steals and 3-pointers made.

— Another Winthrop product, Katie Pushard, dished out nine assists Friday night ot lead Maine Maritime to an 86-32 women’s basketball rout of Johnson State.

koakes@sunjournal.com

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