FIGHTING TIGERS PREPARE FOR INDOOR TRACK & FIELD SEASON

On the eve of the 2006-07 indoor track & field season the SUNY Cobleskill Fighting Tiger program has visions of success running through their heads. With one of the largest, most experienced and deepest rosters in recent years the orange and black could be one of the surprise stories of the upcoming junior college indoor and outdoor campaigns. This potential has Cobleskill Head Coach Brad Fichthorn in an upbeat and positive mood heading into the season.

“We have a very attractive schedule this year which is going to put us in competition at some very prestigious meets and I think we have a number of people who can compete and score in those venues,” said Fichthorn. “We expect to be much more competitive against the competition at our junior college regional this year and I think you are going to see a number of our program records be challenged during both the upcoming indoor season and also during outdoor this spring.”

The Fighting Tiger men will be led this year by an experienced senior class highlighted by three-time NJCAA All-American distance runner Creig Levens, Berlin, NY, Berlin High School, who is fresh from earning First Team NJCAA All-American honors in men’s cross country, All-Mountain Valley Conference sprinter Chris Dietl, Norwalk, CT, Norwalk High School, who placed seventh at the 2006 NJCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the 200 Meter Dash and thrower Kyle Robinson, Canastota, NY, Canastota High School, who was a national outdoor qualifier in the Shot Put, Hammer Throw and the Discus.

The men’s freshman class is highlighted by a pair of former high school teammates as Section I Long Jump Champion Kevin Amilcar, White Plains, NY, White Plains High School, is reunited with his former Tiger teammate multi-event standout Ian Jackson, White Plains, NY, White Plains High School, in the orange and black at the college level. All-Colonial Conference mid-distance standout Eric Graber, Troy, NY, Lansingburgh High School, should also be a bright spot for Cobleskill after coming off a highly successful cross country season.

The Cobleskill women will count on senior mid-distance runner Teresa Cox, Bellport, NY, Bellport High School, a national qualifier and scorer at the 2006 NJCAA National Outdoor Championships in the 800 Meters and 1500 Meters and senior thrower Steph Schumann, Washingtonville, NY, Washingtonville High School, a national placer outdoors in the Shot Put for leadership and experience.

The women’s recruiting class will feature freshman Jennifer Villanova, Clifton Park, NY, Shenendehowa High School, a talented muti-event performer, freshman thrower Brianna Holcomb, Glens Falls, NY, Glens Falls High School, freshman sprinter Daneja Rabouin, Utica, NY, Thomas R. Proctor High School, and freshman distance runner Sarah Furman, West Berne, NY, Berne-Knox-Westerlo High School, who earned Second Team All-American honors at the 2006 NJCAA Women’s Cross Country Championships earlier this fall.

The Fighting Tigers will open the season on Saturday December 2nd when they travel to Middletown, CT for the Wesleyan College Invitational hosted by Wesleyan College beginning at 10:00 AM.