COBLESKILL’S FICHTHORN NAMED 2008 MOUNTAIN VALLEY CONFERENCE & 2008 NJCAA REGION III DIVISION III COACH-OF-THE-YEAR

SUNY Cobleskill Head Track & Field Coach Brad Fichthorn has been named the 2008 Mountain Valley Conference Men’s Track & Field Coach-of-the-Year and the 2008 NJCAA Region III Division III Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Coach-of-the-Year by the conference and region’s coaches. Fichthorn led the Fighting Tiger men to their first NJCAA Region III Championship since 1970 and the program’s first men’s Mountain Valley Conference Championship since 1997 at the 2008 NJCAA Region III Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships hosted by Alfred State College in Alfred, NY on Friday May 2nd and Saturday May 3rd. (The Mountain Valley Conference scored their 2008 Championships within the context of this year’s regional competition.)

Led by Fichthorn, the Fighting Tigers won in dominant fashion posting a team score of 195.5 points to easily outdistance the seven-team regional field and four-team conference field. In total the Cobleskill team members: won nine Region III Division III event championships, captured 10 Mountain Valley Conference event championships, had 23 All-NJCAA Region III Team honorees, produced 19 All-Mountain Valley Conference Team honorees, had 23 NJCAA Division III Qualifying Standard meeting performances and established new program records in five events at the meet.

“This win says more about our team’s determination than my coaching ability because all I told them that I wanted to do was win all the relay events,” said Coach Fichthorn. “It seemed like we got on a roll Friday and things just started to happen from there. I’m extremely proud of what our team has accomplished this season and now we’ve got to use this momentum next week at the National Championships.”

The Fighting Tiger mentor was earlier this year named the 2008 NJCAA Region III Coach-of-the-Year for Women’s Indoor Track & Field after leading Cobleskill to the program’s first NJCAA Region III Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championship. In 2005, Fichthorn was named the NJCAA Division III Men’s National Outdoor Track & Field Coach-of-the-Year as well as the 2005 Mountain Valley Conference Women’s Track & Field Coach-of-the-Year.

Cobleskill will return to action on Thursday May 8th when they travel to Delhi, NY, for the 2008 NJCAA Region III Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships to be hosted by SUNY Delhi from Thursday May 8th thru Saturday May 10th at the college’s track & field facility.