Rhode Island high school tracksters will be aiming at several new state standards when next year’s outdoor track-and-field season rolls around.

Seven records fell on the girls’ side this spring, including two by La Salle’s Emily Barrett in both the 300-meter and 400-meter intermediate hurdles. The Rams’ junior set the first mark with her third-place time of 44.66 at the New England Track & Field Championships, at Saco, Maine. She then clocked a time of 1:03.16 en route to winning her heat in the 400 I.H. at the Nike Outdoor National Track & Field Championships, earlier this month at Greensboro, N.C. That performance broke a 23-year-old hand-held record of 1:04.4, as well as a 1999 auto-time of 1:04.85.

La Salle’s 4x200-meter relay also set a state mark at the Nike meet, finishing 14th with a time of 1:43.15 that bettered Westerly’s state-record 1:45.11, set in 2004.

The Bulldogs held on to their 4x1-mile relay record, though, and even shaved about 28 seconds off their previous state mark, clocking 21:04.19 en route to an eighth-place finish.

Alexa Monti captured gold medals in both the 100 meters and 200 meters at this year’s Outdoor Track and Field State Championships, defending her title in the first event in a state record time of 12.12 seconds.

Classical’s Mickey Jusme twice broke the triple jump record this season, establishing a state mark of 39-8.25 at the State Meet.

Meanwhile, Jenna Poggi of Moses Brown cleared 11 feet, 8 inches in the pole vault at this year’s New England Prep School Track Championships, beating the old R.I. mark of 11-1.25 set in 2001 by Toll Gate’s Noelle Battista.

On the boys’ side, Andrew Springer established two state records this spring, including his time of 3:55.05 with which he captured the gold in the 1,500 meters at the Rhode Island Interscholastic League Boys Outdoor State Meet at Brown University. The Westerly junior also set the state mark in the two-mile (9:14.96).

Also at the state meet, Jacob Matthews of Middletown equaled the state pole-vault record of 15 feet. He concludes his career sharing the state mark with Barrington’s Brad Holtz, who vaulted himself into the record books in 2004.

Ocean State leaders

Six Rhode Island high school athletes will be among approximately 300 students from throughout the United States taking part in the 2008 NFHS National Student Leadership Conference, July 17-20 in Indianapolis.

Themes for the second annual conference, which will be hosted by the National Federation of State High School Associations and sponsored by T-Mobile USA, include Respect, Positive Values, Healthy Lifestyles, Community service and Self-Evaluation.

Over the course of the four-day conference, the students will work on their leadership and communication skills by participating in group discussions, listening to guest speakers share how they have overcome various challenges and by taking part in a community service project.

Those from Rhode Island who will attend are Stephanie Jefferies, Hope High School; John Lewis, Moses Brown; Bethany Douglas, Bay View; Alyssa Marciniak, Mount St. Charles; Emily Cotter, Warwick Vets; and Patricia Hendrickson, Barrington.

Lamoureux signs with Marist

Woonsocket’s Megan Lamoureux, who was recently named to The Journal’s All-State first team in softball, will be continuing her fast-pitch career at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., next year, according to Novans coach Dan Belisle.

The four-year starter, who has received a full softball scholarship, played second base, shortstop, catcher and outfield for Woonsocket and led the Novans at the plate this season, batting .375 with 15 runs scored and 9 RBI.

Costa nets scholarship

Sarah Costa of Tiverton will be continuing her education at Bay Path College in Massachusetts with the help of a $6,000 College Educational Scholarship awarded to her by the United States Tennis Association Tennis & Education Foundation.

According to the Foundation, Costa, who plans to major in child psychology/music therapy, was one of 37 applicants from around the country selected “on the basis of their commitment to academic success, their local community and the game of tennis.”

Tiverton’s top singles player last fall, she has earned all-division honors a number of times during her career with the Tigers.

A member of the Rhode Island Music Educators’ Association Senior Division All-State Chorus, Costa also plays the oboe, clarinet and alto saxophone, and is a member of several musical groups including the jazz and marching bands.

cthorn@projo.com