UAlbany Track & Field Program Sends Ten To NCAA East Region Preliminary Round

Albany, N.Y.- The UAlbany track and field program will send ten members to participate in the NCAA East Region Preliminary Round from Thursday, May 24 through Saturday, May 26, which is hosted by the University of North Florida at Hodges Stadium. The men's track and field squad are sending junior Jonathan Santana (400-meter dash), sophomore Alfonso Scannapieco (pole vault) and freshman Alex Bowen (high jump). The women's track and field team will be sending junior Patricia McNish, the 2012 ECAC long jump champion, and the 4x400-meter relay squad which consists of junior Allison Rogers, senior Brittany Eveleth, junior Sherez Mohamed, sophomore Tynelle Taylor-Chase, freshman Kamilah Williams and senior Elia Francis. On the men's side, Santana, who placed third at the America East Championships in the 400-meter dash with a time of 47.96, will compete on Thursday, May 24 at 7:30 pm. Scannapieco took home the America East Conference Pole Vault crown with a mark of 16-feet 2.75-inches and will try to carry over that performance on Saturday, May 26 at 11 am. Bowen was crowned America East Conference High Jump Champion with a mark of 6-feet 10.75-inches and will look to continue his success on Saturday, May 26 at 5 pm. For the women, Patricia McNish has been nothing but impressive in the long jump, having out done herself in the last two competitions. McNish took home both the America East title (19-feet 8.25-inches) and ECAC titles(20-foot 4-inches). Her 20-foot 4-inch mark at the ECAC's put her in the UAlbany record book as the lone woman to accomplish that feat. She will try out do herself in the long jump on Thursday, May 24 at 5:30 pm. The women's 4x400-meter relay squad has improved its time in the last four of five competitions, heading into the NCAA East Region Preliminaries. The group began by breaking the UAlbany school record at the Larry Ellis Invitational with a time of 3:44.27. Then at the Penn Relays (3:43.38) and Capital District Meet (3:41.44). The squad had a minor hiccup with a 3:45.61 time at the America East Championship, but the time was fast enough for a first-place finish and an ECAC qualifying time. Then at the ECAC Championships, the 4x400-meter relay team in the preliminary round would shave of 38-hundredths of a second (3:41.06) and finally break it for a fifth time in the ECAC finals by almost three full seconds to currently hold the school record at 3:38.62. They will look to take its current 4x400-meter relay UAlbany school record on Saturday, May 26 at 9:30 pm. Here is highlight of the women's 4x400-meter relay team breaking the UAlbany school record for the fifth time this season: To follow the 10 Great Danes during their run in the NCAAs click here: Results/Webcast/Info Press release and photo provided by UAlbant Athletics