Cobleskill, NY – SUNY Cobleskill first-year track and field standout Will Mann (Pawling, NY) was named the 2025-26 Male Rookie of the Year following a historic debut season for the Fighting Tigers. Mann was recognized during the department's annual athletics awards ceremony, The Coby's.

The Male Rookie of the Year Award is presented annually to a first-year male student-athlete who demonstrates exceptional performance, growth and impact during their debut season.
Mann made an immediate impact for the Fighting Tigers, putting together one of the most impressive first-year campaigns in program history. Throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons, he rewrote the SUNY Cobleskill record book multiple times and quickly established himself as one of the top young throwers in the region.

During the indoor season, Mann first entered the program record book at the Utica Winter Opener, where he placed second overall in the shot put with a throw of 13.98 meters (45-10½). The mark broke the previous SUNY Cobleskill record of 13.23 meters, set by Jeff Miliron in 2010.

Mann later improved on his own record at the SUNYAC Championships, recording a toss of 14.06 meters (46-1½) in the shot put. The performance earned him an eighth-place finish and a scoring position for the Fighting Tigers in his SUNYAC Championship debut.

He added another program record during the indoor season in the weight throw, posting a mark of 15.36 meters (50-4¾) to place ninth overall. The throw surpassed the previous school record of 15.16 meters, set by Kyle Robinson in 2007, giving Mann his second program record of the year.

Mann carried that momentum into the outdoor season, where he once again made program history in the shot put. At the Bobbi Palma UAlbany Spring Classic, he delivered a throw of 14.77 meters (48-5½), breaking a program record that had stood since 1978. The mark met the Atlantic Region Track & Field Championships qualifying standard and earned Mann a fourth-place finish in a competitive field, where he was the top Division III finisher.

Mann capped his rookie season by making his All-Atlantic Region Track and Field Conference Championship debut, competing in both the shot put and discus. He placed 19th overall in the shot put with a mark of 13.75 meters (45-1½) before finishing 17th in the discus with a throw of 40.99 meters (134-5).

Head Track and Field Coach Zach Haskin praised Mann's historic first-year campaign and the impact he made on the program.

"We are very proud of Will and how quickly he developed in such a short period of time. Setting program records during both the indoor and outdoor seasons is a huge accomplishment. This is just the beginning for him, with many more years ahead to continue breaking records and moving up the national list."

Mann's record-setting performances, postseason qualifying mark, regional championship appearance and immediate impact made him a deserving recipient of the 2025-26 SUNY Cobleskill Male Rookie of the Year award.