Track And Field Sets To Compete At UCF Invitational

ALBANY, N.Y. – In the second meet of the 2013 outdoor season, the University at Albany men’s and women’s track and field programs will compete at the UCF Invitational Friday and Saturday in Orlando, Fla.

UAlbany will be contending against participating teams Princeton (M&W), Florida (M&W), Connecticut (M), FIU (M&W), Norfolk State (M&W), Ohio State (W), Maryland (M&W), Georgia State (M&W), NC State (M&W), DePaul (M&W), Cincinnati (W), UCF (W), and Illinois State (M&W).

While the spring season is young, UAlbany has already made some noise. Sophomore high jumper Alexander Bowen cleared a record 7’3” mark at the 7th Annual Carolina Spring Break Classic in Puerto Rico last weekend, currently ranking him first in the nation.

Also in their first goes of the season, Alfonso Scannapieco placed first in the pole vault (16’ 2.75”) and the 4x400m relay team, consisting of Taariq Jones, Daryl Subran, Charles Karam, and Alex Petit-Frere, broke the tape with a time of 3:15.35, all qualifying for the IC4A Championships. Ethan Clary (8:37.42) and Chris Buchanan (8:44.48) also met IC4A qualifying standards in the 3,000m run, placing third and fourth, respectively.

On the women’s side, junior Kathryn Fanning broke a meet record with her 2:10.62 mark in the 800m in Puerto Rico, currently ranking seventh in the nation. Brittney Lane recorded the top time and qualified for ECACs in the 3,000m run (9:45.37), while Rochelle Reid placed first in the high jump, clearing 5’ 5”. In addition, the 4x400m relay team composed of Aderinsola Ajala, Tynelle Taylor-Chase, Dominique Claudio, and Sherez Mohamed won the event with an ECAC qualifying time of 3:42.00 mark.

Other highlights included the 4x100m relay team’s second-place finish with a time of 47.35. Ashlee Maduro, Jillian Haynes, Kahlia Taylor, and Alli Rogers shared the ECAC qualifying legs.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Announced by the league office last Wednesday, the UAlbany indoor track and field program placed three men and one woman on the 2012-2013 America East All-Academic team. The team honors 10 men and 10 women who have excelled both academically and athletically this season. Sophomore John DeLallo, senior Jake Rachiele, and junior Daryl Subran were selected to the men’s squad, while junior Kathryn Fanning represented the Great Danes on the women’s team.

HISTORY OF SUCCESS
UAlbany Track & Field's 28 AEast Championships, 3 IC4A Championships
▪ Men's Indoor: 2002-03, 2003-04, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09*, 2009-10*, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13
▪ Women's Indoor: 2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13
▪ Men's Outdoor: 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009*, 2010, 2011, 2012
▪ Women's Outdoor: 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
*won both AEast and IC4A titles

UALBANY QUICK HITS
▪ The Great Danes swept the America East’s men’s and women’s indoor championship titles on Feb. 12th.
▪ Both teams broke the conference record for points scored. The men earned 231.50 points and the women 233.50.
▪ The UAlbany athletic department has now won 63 conference championships at the Division I level, including 28 by the track and field program.

UP NEXT
UAlbany will compete in the Stanford Invitational, April 5-6, as well as “The Dog Fight” at UConn on April 6th.