COBLESKILL TRACK & FIELD EXCELS AT COLGATE CLASS OF ’32 INVITE

The SUNY Cobleskill indoor track & field program posted one of their best showings in recent seasons at the prestigious 2008 Class of ’32 Invitational hosted by Colgate University in Hamilton, NY on Saturday. The Fighting Tiger men posted a team score of 32 points to place seventh in the 12-team field finishing the day second among junior college programs at the meet and tops among Mountain Valley Conference programs. The Cobleskill women’s program scored eight points on the day to place tenth in a field of 12-teams at the event also tops among Mountain Valley Conference programs competing.

The men were paced by senior sprinter David Saurez, Hauppauge, NY, Hauppauge High School, who broke his own program records in the 55 Meter Dash placing third overall in a time of 6.56 seconds and in the 200 Meter Dash finishing third with a time of 22.80 seconds. Freshman hurdler Jon Figueroa, North Branch, NY, Sullivan West High School, also broke his own program record in the 55 Hurdles with a time of 8.16 seconds good for sixth place overall.

Cobleskill received scoring performances from: senior thrower Joe Valentin, Swan Lake, NY, Liberty High School, who finished third in the 35 lbs Weight Throw with a toss of 13.23 meters, freshman multi-event performer Tomas Velasquez, Catskill, NY, Catskill High School, who finished fourth in the Triple Jump with a mark of 12.49 meters, freshman Brad Boice, Cambridge, NY, Cambridge High School, who placed sixth in the 400 Meter Dash in a time of 52.20 seconds and senior Eric Graber, Troy, NY, Lansingburgh High School, who placed sixth in the 800 Meter Run in a time of 2:04.69.

In the relay events: the Fighting Tiger 4 X 400 Meter Relay of Tomas Velasquez, David Suarez, Brad Boice and Eric Graber finished third overall in a time of 3:32.07 while the 4 X 800 Meter Relay of freshman Kevin Wippel, Pine Bush, NY, Pine Bush High School, senior Chris Torres, Middletown, NY, Minisink Valley High School, freshman Alex Macbeth, Schenectady, NY, Schenectady High School, and freshman Joe Singer, Onteora, NY, Onteora High School, scored by placing seventh overall with a program record of 8:52.79 in the event.

The Cobleskill women were paced by senior NJCAA All-American Jen Villanova, Clifton Park, NY, Shenendehowa High School, who placed fourth overall in the Long Jump with a mark of 5.03 meters and fourth in the Triple Jump with an effort of 10.06 meters.

The Fighting Tigers also established a new program record in the Distance Medley Relay as the team of freshman Angela Villanova, Clifton Park, NY, Shenendehowa High School, senior NJCAA All-American Regina Morgan, Brooklyn, NY, Prospect Heights High School, freshman Tamarra Jenkins, Queens, NY, Jamaica High School, and freshman Meghan LaPoint, Schenectady, NY, Colonie High School, finished in seventh place overall with a time of 4:48.25.

Cobleskill will return to action on Saturday February 2nd when they travel to Syracuse, NY, for the Syracuse Invitational hosted by Syracuse University at Manley Fieldhouse beginning at 10:00 AM.