FIGHTING TIGER WOMEN WIN 2005 MOUNTAIN VALLEY CONFERENCE TITLE

Perhaps no one was more surprised than SUNY Cobleskill Head Track & Field Coach Brad Fichthorn on Saturday when his lady Fighting Tigers captured the 2005 Mountain Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica, NY. Cobleskill won the event by posting a team score of 156 points to better the field of five teams for the program’s first league title since 1995.

“Truthfully with our regional and national championships coming up back-to-back over the next two weekends my goal was to get through this meet without getting anyone seriously hurt,” said Fichthorn. “This is really an exciting win for our program and I am extremely proud of these young ladies.”

The Fighting Tigers won seven individual events in the meet highlighted by freshman Sashoye Wilson, Wheatly Heights, NY, Farmingdale High School, who captured four conference individual championships in: the 100 Meters, 12.8 seconds, the 200 Meters, 26.9 seconds, the Long Jump, 16’ 9 ¾”, and the Triple Jump, 35’ 1 ¾”, meeting national qualifying standards in all events. Senior Leslie Martin, Hudson Falls, NY, Hudson Falls High School, won league titles in the High Jump, 4’ 9 ¾”, and the Javelin, 82’ 7”, while placing second in the 400 Meter Hurdles, 1:11.1, also meeting national qualifying marks in the event. Freshman distance Rachel Prehna, Stamford, NY, Stamford High School, won the conference crown at 10,000 Meters, 47:35.8, to win the MVC title and qualify for the NJCAA National Champions. With their efforts Wilson, Martin and Prehna each earned All-Mountain Valley Conference acclaim.

Cobleskill also received national qualifying efforts from a number of team members in their victory. Senior Emily Bertier, Union Bridge, MD, Francis Scott Key High School, placed second in the 1500 Meters, 5:24.7, while freshman Kara Thompson, Newburgh, NY, Newburgh Free Academy, finished fourth in the 400 Meters with a time of 1:02.4. In the throwing events freshman Stephanie Schumann, Washingtonville, NY, Washingtonville High School, finished second in the Shot Put, 31’ 4 ½”, and freshman Ashley Coles, Albany, NY, Albany High School, finished third in the Discus, 84’6”.

The Fighting Tigers will next travel to Buffalo, NY on Friday May 7th for the 2005 NJCAA Region III Championships hosted by Erie Community College running through Saturday May 8th.