COBLESKILL TRACK IMPRESSIVE AT WESELYAN INDOOR INVITATIONAL

The SUNY Cobleskill track & field program opened the 2007-08 indoor season with a number of record setting performances at the Wesleyan College Invitational hosted by Wesleyan College in Middletown, CT on Saturday. The Fighting Tigers posted six new program records, had an NJCAA National Qualifying Standard meeting performance and won four individual events at the non-scoring meet.

“We’re very happy about the way that things got started today,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Brad Fichthorn. “We had a number of our returning people step up and post some impressive results and some of our newcomers also performed beyond our expectations. We now need to stay focused through break and keep things going throughout the second semester.”

On the men’s side Cobleskill freshman pole vaulter Patrick Krug, Averill Park, NY, Averill Park High School, led the way winning his event by meeting the NJCAA National Championship Indoor Qualifying Standard with a program record setting vault of 15’0”. Cobleskill also received program record setting performances from: senior sprinter David Suarez, Hauppauge, NY, Hauppauge High School, who set new school records in the 55 Meter Dash, 6.57 seconds, and the 200 Meter Dash, 23.17 seconds, placing second in each event, senior sprinter Carlton Wildman, Huntington, NY, John Glen High School, who set a new record in the 400 Meter Dash winning the event with a time of 51.38 seconds and from freshman sprinter/hurdler Jon Figueroa, North Branch, NY, Sullivan West High School, who placed third in the 55 Meter Hurdles with a program record of 8.21 seconds. The Orange & Black also received a strong showing from freshman Nick O’Neil, Ballston Spa, NY, Ballston Spa High School, who won the Mile with a time of 4:42.48 and placed third in the 800 Meters with a time of 2:09.43.  

In the mid distance and distance events, freshman Kevin Wippel, Pine Bush, NY, Pine Bush High School, finished fourth in the 5000 Meters with a time of 16:41.55, followed by freshman Dan Bulson, Berlin, NY, Berlin High School, in fifth at 17:19.32 and senior Jon O’Connor, Deposit, NY, Deposit High School, in eighth with a time of 18:10.75. Freshman Alex Macbeth, Schenectady, NY, Schenectady High School, made a strong showing in the 3000 Meters placing seventh with a personal best mark of 10:27.46 while freshman Amir Babb, Brooklyn, NY, Canarsie High School placed seventh at 800 Meters in 2:10.79. Freshman Brad Boice, Cambridge, NY, Cambridge High School, was also a factor in the meet placing seventh in the 500 Meters with a time of 1:09.88 with senior Dan Ballou, Kingston, NY, Kingston High School, placing eighth in the 1000 Meters in a time of 3:24.38.

In the other field event action, freshman thrower Joe Valentine, Swan Lake, NY, Liberty High School, finished eighth in the Weight Throw with a make of 39’6”.

The Fighting Tiger women were led by senior NJCAA All-American multi-event performer Jen Villanova, Clifton Park, NY, Shenendehowa High School, captured the Long Jump with an effort of 16’11 ½” while fellow senior NJCAA All-American sprinter Regina Morgan, Brooklyn, NY, Prospect Heights High School, finished ninth in the 200 Meter Dash in a time of 28.54 seconds and tenth in the 400 Meters in 1:04.62.

Cobleskill also received strong opening efforts in the mid distance and distance events as freshman Beth Tranes, Goshen, NY, Goshen High School, placed eighth in the 800 Meters with a time of 3:02.80 and tenth in the Mile in 6:39.45 while freshman Alyssa Roberts, Remsen, NY, Remsen High School, finished ninth in the 800 Meters in 3:08.25 and eleventh in the Mile with a time of 6:50.13. In the 5000 Meters, freshman Alex Devine, Cherry Plains, NY, Berlin High School, placed sixth with a time of 21:54.48 and freshman Meghan Newton, Torrington, CT, Wamogo High School, finished seventh in 22:16.37.

Freshman sprinter Tamarra Jenkins, Queens, NY, Jamaica High School, started her intercollegiate career by placing thirteenth in the 200 Meter Dash with a time of 28.84 seconds and twelfth in the 400 Meters in a time of 1:04.85. Senior multi-event athlete Kayla Evers, Oneonta, NY, Lighthouse Academy, also started the season off on a positive note finishing ninth in the Weight Throw placing eleventh overall with a mark of 28’4 ¼”.

The Fighting Tigers will next be in action as a team when they travel to Rochester, NY on Saturday January 19th to compete in the R.I.T. Invitational hosted by Rochester Institute of Technology beginning at 10:00 AM.