FIGHTING TIGER MEN’S & WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD CLOSE DAY ONE OF NJCAA OUTDOOR NATIONALS IN SECOND PLACE

The SUNY Cobleskill outdoor track & field program stormed out of the starting blocks on the opening day of the 2008 NJCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field National Championships hosted by SUNY Delhi in Delhi, NY Thursday. The Fighting Tiger men posted a score of 35 points to trail meet leader Harper Community College from Palatine, IL by six points in the field of 23 teams after five scored events. The Cobleskill women also hold the second spot in the meet with a score of 15 points to trail Erie Community College from Buffalo, NY by three points after four scored events.

Among the day one highlights for the Fighting Tigers was the program’s first ever national championship in the 4 X 800 Meter Relay where the team of freshman Joseph Appah, Manhattan, NY, Fredrick Douglas Academy, senior Eric Graber, Troy, NY, Lansingburgh High School, freshman Richard Garnett, Yonkers, NY, Roosevelt High School, and freshman Emille Barnett, Huntington, NY, John Glenn High School, ran a program record time of 7:50.63 to earn First Team All-American honors. Senior jumper Kevin Amilcar, White Plains, NY, White Plains High School, also captured the program’s first national championship in the Long Jump with a mark of 6.88 meters to garner First Team All-American acclaim.

Cobleskill also received opening day scoring efforts from: senior thrower Joseph Valentin, Swan Lake, NY, Liberty High School, who placed fourth in the Hammer Throw with a toss of 42.11 meters, freshman multi-event performer Kameron Whittmeyer, Yorkshire, NY, Pioneer High School, who placed fifth in the Pole Vault clearing a height of 3.75 meters, freshman multi-event athlete Aldin Gomez, Westbury, NY, Westbury High School, who finished sixth in the Long Jump with a mark of 6.48 meters and from freshman distance runner Kevin Wippel, Pine Bush, NY, Pine Bush High School, who placed sixth in the 10,000 with a time of 35:20.34.

The Fighting Tiger women were led by senior multi-event performer Jennifer Villanova, Clifton Park, NY, Shenendehowa High School, who placed third in the Long Jump with an effort of 5.09 meters and senior multi-event athlete Kayla Evers, Oneonta, NY, Oneonta High School, who placed fourth in the Hammer Throw with a toss of 33.70 meters.

The Cobleskill distance/mid-distance corps was also active on day one as the 4 X 800 Meter Relay of freshman Alex Devine, Cherry Plains, NY, Berlin High School, Amy Cunningham, Durham, NY, Cairo-Durham High School, Beth Tranes, Goshen, NY, Goshen High School, and freshman Angela Villanova, Clifton Park, NY, Shenendehowa High School, placed sixth overall with a time of 10:50.97. The Orange & Black also received multiple scoring performances in the 10,000 Meters as freshman Meghan LaPoint, Schenectady, NY, Colonie High School, placed fifth with a time of 42:12.94, senior April Ackermann, South Huntington, NY, Sullivan West High School, placed seventh in a time of 43:10.31 and freshman Meghan Newton, Torrington, CT, Wamogo High School, with a time 44:14.79.

The meet’s second day, Friday May 9th, will start at 9:00 AM at the SUNY Delhi Track & Field facility beginning. The meet’s finale, Saturday May 10th, will also begin at 9:00 AM.

DAY ONE TEAM SCORING:

MEN’S TEAM RESULTS:
1. Harper Community College 41
2. SUNY COBLESKILL 35
3. College of DuPage 24
4. SUNY Delhi 22
5. Alfred State College 18
6. Kingsborough Community College 10
7. Gloucester Community College 9
7. Bergen Community College 9
23 Teams in field

WOMEN’S TEAM RESULTS:
1. Erie Community College 18
2. SUNY COBLESKILL 15
3. College of DuPage 14
3. Herkimer Community College 14
5. Harper Community College 12
6. Bronx Community College 10
7. Community College of Rhode Island 7
7. SUNY Delhi 7
9. Alfred State College 6
9. Finger Lakes Community College 6
11. Mohawk Valley Community College 5
23 Teams in the Field