JESSICA ORTMAN, FREDDIE WILLS EARN AMERICA EAST WEEKLY TRACK AWARDS

     Boston, Mass. - Jessica Ortman has been named the America East Conference Women's Track Athlete of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday, April 11. The conference has also honored Freddie Wills as the co-men's field performer of the week.

     Ortman, who is winning the award for the second straight week, broke her own UAlbany 800m standard at the Duke Invitational last weekend. She crossed the line in 2:10.24, 57-hundredths of a second better than her previous school record. The freshman was the top UAlbany finisher in the event and ninth overall, missing the NCAA Regional standard by less than half a second. Overall, Ortman has improved on the 800m record by 2.65 seconds this season and has qualified for the USA Track & Field Junior Nationals in both the 800m and 1500m.

     Wills competed in three jumping events at the Duke Invitational last weekend, finishing in the top six in both the triple jump (fifth overall) and the high jump (sixth). He posted a triple jump mark of 47-feet, 5.25-inches, his best as a collegian and a 4.5-inch improvement on his previous best. The freshman recorded a 6-6 in the high jump, missing his collegiate best by only two inches. He also turned in a 21-7.25 long jump performance at Duke.

     The Great Danes return to action when they host the 12th Annual UAlbany Spring Classic on Saturday, April 22.