FIGHTING TIGER INDOOR TRACK OFF TO FAST START AT WESLEYAN INVITE

The SUNY Cobleskill indoor track & field program opened the 2006-07 season in impressive fashion at the 2006 Wesleyan University Invitational Meet on Saturday in Middletown, CT. The non-scoring qualifying venue saw the Fighting Tigers post seven new program records and capture three individual event titles between the men and women’s teams.

Senior thrower Kyle Robinson, Canastota, NY, Canastota High School, provided the highlight of the meet of the Fighting Tigers qualifying for the NJCAA National Championships at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX in March of 2007 meeting the national qualifying standard in the Weight Toss setting a new program record in the even with an effort of 47’ 9 ¼” to place second in the meet.

On the track senior Chris Dietl, Norwalk, CT, Norwalk High School, returned to his home state to win the 500 Meters by establishing a new school record in the event with a time of 1:08.40. Freshman sprinter David Suarez, Hauppauge, NY, Hauppauge High School, also did his part in rewriting the Fighting Tiger record book placing third in the 55 Meter Dash in a program record 6.63 seconds and placing third in the 200 Meters with a record time of 23.09 seconds.

Individually: freshman Carlton Wildman, Huntington, NY, John Glenn High School, placed fourth in the 55 Meter Dash, 6.71 seconds, and fifth in the 200 Meter, 23.27 seconds, freshman Ian Jackson, White Plains, NY, White Plains High School, placed 2nd in the 500 Meters, 1:08.75, and fourth in the 55 Meter Hurdles, 8.52 seconds, senior John Bates, Brooklyn, NY Walton High School, who finished third in the 500 Meters, 1:10.10, and freshman Essaha Jallow, Bronx, NY, Dewitt Clinton High School, placed second in the 800 Meters with a time of 2:03.27. Freshman jumper Kevin Amilcar, White Plains, NY, White Plains High School, placed second in the Long Jump with a mark of 21’2 ½” and senior distance runner Brandon Gillis, Hudson, NY, Hudson High School, placed sixth in the 5000 Meters with a time of 17:25.96.

In the relays Cobleskill struck pay dirt as the team of Chris Dietl, Carlton Wildman, Ian Jackson and John Bates won the 4 X 400 Meter Relay in a time of 3:31.45 and the 4 X 200 Meter Relay of Essaha Jallow, freshman Olayinka Shobale-Benson, Ardsley, NY, Ardsley High School, senior Chris Burke, Spencerport, NY, Spencerport High School, and senior Justin Slingerland, Scotia, NY, Scotia-Glenville High School, placed fourth with a time of 1:41.05.

On the women’s side freshman Jennifer Villanova, Clifton Park, NY, Shenendehowa High School, set a new record in the Pole Vault winning the event with a height of 9’ 0 ¼” and freshman NJCAA Cross Country All-American Sarah Furman, West Berne, NY, Berne-Knox-
Westerlo High School, set a new record in the 5000 Meters placing third with a time of 20:22.41.

The Fighting Tiger 4 X 400 Relay of freshman Regina Morgan, Brooklyn, NY, Prospect Heights High School, freshman Daneja Rabouin, Utica, NY, Thomas R. Proctor High School, freshman Keish Doldron, Brooklyn, NY, Collective Fellowship High School and senior Tereasa Cox, Bellport, NY, Bellport High School, set a new program record finishing seventh overall in a time of 4:32.75.

Individually, Regina Morgan also was a factor individually for the Fighting Tigers placing fifth in the 200 Meters with a time of 28.33 seconds and finishing sixth in the 400 meters in 1:03.38, Daneja Rabouin placed 8th in the 55 Meter Dash in 7.78 seconds and Tereasa Cox placed fourth in the 1000 Meters with a time of 3:31.54. Senior thrower Steph Schumann Washingtonville, NY, Washingtonville High School, was also a factor in the meet placing fourth in the Shot Put, 33’ 7 ¼”, and ninth in the Weight Toss, 34’ 6 ¼” while senior Amanda Aker, Fort Plain, NY, Fort Plain High School, placed eleventh in the 800 Meters with a time of 2:44.66.

“This is just a phenomenal way for us to start the season with seven school records and a number of impressive placings,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Brad Fichthorn. “As I have said before, if we can stay healthy this year we have an opportunity to accomplish great things this season.”

The Fighting Tigers will return to action on Thursday December 7th when they travel to Rochester, NY for the RIT Invitational hosted by Rochester Institute of Technology.