FIGHTING TIGER TRACK MAKES STRONG SHOWING AT ITHACA INVITE

Traveling a limited number of athletes to Ithaca, NY on Tuesday afternoon for the 2008 Ithaca College Mid-Week Invitational, the SUNY Cobleskill outdoor track & field program posted another impressive outing garnering nine NJCAA National Championship qualifying performances on the men’s side to go with five national standard meeting performances in the women’s portion of the proceedings.

Cobleskill NJCAA All-American April Ackermann, South Huntington, NY, Sullivan West High School, led the way for the Fighting Tiger women winning the 1500 Meters by meeting the national standard in the event with a time of 5:12.26 then met the national mark at 800 Meters placing eighth overall in the competition with a time of 2:32.31. Freshman Meghan LaPoint, Schenectady, NY, Colonie High School, also met the national marks in both events placing second at 1500 Meters in 5:17.39 and fifteenth in the 800 Meters with a time of 2:39.95. The Orange & Black also received a national qualifying effort in the Long Jump from freshman Tamarra Jenkins, Queens, NY, Jamaica High School, who covered a distance of 4.51 meters to place second overall in the event.

The Cobleskill men received an unusual double national qualifying performance from freshman hurdler Jon Figueroa, North Branch, NY, Sullivan West High School, who met the national mark in the 100 Metes by placing eighth in a time of 11.30 seconds the met the mark in  the 3000 Meter Steeplechase by winning the event in time of 10:19.38. Freshman Joseph Appah, Manhattan, NY, Walton High School, was also an event winner for the Fighting Tigers taking the 800 Meters in a national qualifying time of 2:01.33.

Also posting double national qualifying performances on the day were: senior sprinter David Suarez, Hauppauge, NY, Hauppauge High School, who finished in second place in the 200 Meters with a time of 22.13 seconds and third in the 100 Meters with a time of 11.06 seconds  and from freshman sprinter Leon Thompson, Manhattan, NY, Walton High School, who placed second in the 100 Meters with a time of 11.05 seconds and  third in the 200 Meters in 22.46 seconds.

Fighting Tiger sprinter/jumper Tomas Valasquez, Catskill, NY, Catskill High School, was also a national qualifier in the Long Jump placing second with a mark of 6.37 meters.

The Fighting Tigers will next be in action on Saturday April 26th when they travel to Schenectady, NY to compete in the 2008 Union Invitational hosted by Union College beginning at 10:00 AM.