COBLESKILL MEN’S TRACK SETS RECORDS AT ALL-AMERICAN INVY

The SUNY Cobleskill men’s track & field team was as hot as the warm spring weather at the 2008 All-American Invitational hosted by East Stroudsburg University in East Stroudsburg, PA on Saturday. The Fighting Tiger men posted a pair of program record setting performances to go with 14 NJCAA Division III National Championship Qualifying Standard meeting efforts. The Orange & Black are currently ranked third in the latest NJCAA Division III National Poll.

Senior Emille Barnett, Huntington, NY, John Glenn High School, won the 800 Meters meeting the national qualifying mark and establishing a new program record in the event with a time of 1:55.99. Barnett then came back to team with senior Carlton Wildman, Huntington, NY, John Glenn High School, freshman Richard Garnett, Yonkers, NY, Roosevelt High School, and freshman Brad Boice, Cambridge, NY, Cambridge High School, to help the Cobleskill 4 X 400 Meter Relay set a new program record and meet the national qualifying standard by placing second in a time of 3:22.72.

The Cobleskill sprint corps continued their impressive season as senior David Suarez, Hauppauge, NY, Hauppauge High School, met the national standards at 100 Meters finishing second in a time of 11.15 seconds and in the 200 Meters finishing fourth with in a time of 22.71 seconds. Freshman Leon Thompson, Manhattan, NY, Fredrick Douglas Academy, was also a double qualifier finishing fourth in the 100 Meters at 11.18 seconds and third in the 200 Meters with a time of 22.70. At 400 Meters, Cobleskill received a pair of qualifying performances as freshman Joseph Appah, Manhattan, NY, Walton High School, met the mark finishing third overall in 49.82 seconds as did Carlton Wildman who finished fourth in a time of 50.09 seconds. Freshman hurdler Jon Figueroa, North Branch, NY, Sullivan West High School, also met the standard in the 400 Meter Hurdles placing eighth overall in 59.30 seconds.

In the mid-distance and distance events the team received qualifying performances at 800 Meters from: Richard Garnett who finished seventh at 2:00.01, senior Eric Graber, Troy, NY, Lansingburgh High School, in twelfth place in 2:00.96 and from freshman Joe Singer, Onteora, NY, Onteora High School, in fourteenth place in 2:03.32 while freshman Dan Bulson, Petersburg, NY, Berlin High School, met the mark in the 3000 Meter Steeplechase placing fifth overall in a time of 10:25.98..

In the field events, senior jumper Kevin Amilcar, White Plains, NY, White Plains High School, finished second in the Long Jump meeting the national qualifying mark with a leap of 6.73 meters.

The Fighting Tigers will next send selected team members to the 2008 NJCAA Region III Division III Multi-Events Championships hosted by Alfred State College in Alfred, NY on Sunday April 20th and Monday April 21st.