COBLESKILL WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD PLACES 11TH AT 2006 NJCAA DIVISION III OUTDOOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MEET

The SUNY Cobleskill women’s outdoor track & field program posted a team score of 34 points to tie for eleventh place overall in a field of 21 teams at the 2006 NJCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships hosted by Erie Community College in Orchard Park, NY over the weekend.

The Fighting Tigers were led by freshman Kaylan Ostrander, Queensbury, NY, Queensbury High School, who placed second in the Pole Vault with a mark of 2.57 meters to earn NJCAA All-American honors. Cobleskill’s other scoring performance in a field event was notched by senior thrower Stephanie Schumann, Washingtonville, NY, Washingtonville High School, who placed seventh in the Shot Put with a toss of 10.49 meters.

On the track Cobleskill runners turned in some very solid performances as freshman middle distance runner Theresa Cox, Bellport, NY, Bellport High School, placed sixth in the 800 Meters with a time of 2:36.09 and seventh in the 1500 Meters with a time of 5:34.39 while senior distance runner Rachel Prehna, Stamford, NY, Stamford High School, placed eighth in the 10,000 Meters with a time of 49:03.61. Freshman sprinter Erinn O’Rourke, South Glens Falls, NY, South Glens Falls High School, continued her strong freshman campaign placing fourth in the 400 Meters with a time of 1:02.25  as did freshman hurdler Amanda Aker, Nelliston, NY, Fort Plain High School, who placed fifth in the 400 Meter Hurdles with a time of 1:10.40.

In the relay events the Fighting Tigers placed fourth in the 3200 Meter Relay as the team of Rachel Prehna, Theresa Cox, Kaylan Ostrander and Amanda Aker turned in a time of 11:01.14. In the 400 Meter Relay the team of Erinn O’Rourke, Kaylan Ostrander, Amanda Aker, and senior Nichole Franke, Gouverneur, NY, Gouverneur High School, finished seventh with a time of 54.64 seconds while the 1600 Meter Relay team of Erinn O’Rourke, Kaylan Ostrander, Nichole Franke and Amanda Aker finished fifth in a time of 4:26.74.

In reviewing his team’s performance, Cobleskill Head Coach Brad Fichthorn was upbeat and already thinking about the future.

“In a season that we deemed a rebuilding year; we ended with some unexpected and welcomed successes, which will form a solid foundation for the future. With our returning cross country and track athletes from this year and our incoming recruiting class we are already very excited about what can be accomplished next season.”