COBLESKILL WOMEN’S TRACK PLACES 3RD AT 2008 NJCAA REGIONALS

The SUNY Cobleskill women’s outdoor track & field team posted a score of 108 points to place third in a field of seven teams at the 2008 NJCAA Region III Division III Championships hosted by Alfred State College in Alfred, NY over the weekend. The Fighting Tigers, who entered the meet ranked fourth in the current NJCAA Division III National Poll, also placed tied for second for the 2008 Mountain Valley Conference Championship as this year the conference scored its league championship within the regional meet.

Cobleskill put forth another impressive effort as the team collected four NJCAA Region III event championships, won six Mountain Valley Conference event championships, had 10 athletes earn All-NJCAA Region III Team honorees, placed nine team members on the All-Mountain Valley Conference Team, recorded 22 NJCAA Division III National Championship Qualifying Standard performances and set a pair of new program records in the 4 X 800 Meter Relay and in the Pole Vault.

The Fighting Tigers received NJCAA Region III and Mountain Valley Conference Championship winning performances from: senior multi-event athlete Kayla Evers, Oneonta, NY, Lighthouse Academy, who won the Hammer Throw with a toss of 36.14 meters, freshman multi-event athlete Angela Villanova, Clifton Park, NY, Shenendehowa High School, who set a new program record in the Pole Vault winning the event clearing a height of 2.74 meters, freshman distance runner Meghan Newton, Torrington, CT, Wamogo High School, who won the 10,000 Meters in a time of 46:51.20 and by the 4 X 400 Meter Relay of  senior NJCAA All-American Regina Morgan, Brooklyn, NY, Prospect Heights High School, freshman Beth Tranes, Goshen, NY, Goshen High School, freshman Tamarra Jenkins, Queens, NY, Jamaica High School, and freshman Brittany Armstrong, Schenectady, NY, Mohonasen High School, who won with a time of 4:24.79. All of these team members met the National Qualifying Standards in their events and were named to the All-Regional and All-Mountain Valley Conference Teams.

Also collecting All-Region III honors for Cobleskill were: freshman distance runner Alex Devine, Cherry Plains, NY, Berlin High School, who placed second in the 3000 Meter Steeplechase in a time of 13:38.43, and second in the 10,000 Meters in 46:51.50 meeting the national qualifying mark in each event and senior NJCAA All-American multi-event performer Jennifer Villanova, Clifton Park, NY, Shenendehowa High School, who finished second in the Triple Jump meeting the national mark with an effort of 9.86 meters.

The Fighting Tigers also received a pair of Mountain Valley Conference Championships from senior NJCAA All-American distance runner April Ackermann, South Huntington, NY, Sullivan West High School, who placed fifth in the 1500 Meters with a time national standard meeting time of 5:16.97 first among conference participants and from freshman distance runner Meghan LaPoint, Schenectady, NY, Colonie High School, who placed 5th overall in the 5000 Meters first among conference participants with a national qualifying time of 20:25.14.