Randall's Island, N.Y. - Sophomore Nick Santos finished second in the men's 800-meter run and qualified for the IC4A Championship to lead the UAlbany outdoor track and field programs at the New York City Qualifying Challenge at Icahn Stadium on May 7-8. The non-scoring meet served as one last chance for student-athletes to improve their marks and qualify for upcoming postseason competitions.
Santos finished his premier race in a personal-best time of 1:51.11 and was one of three Great Danes to post a runner-up finish in an event. The mark ranks third on the America East Conference performance list behind teammates John Moore and Tyler Fogarty. Paul Lagno placed second in the men's 1,500-meter run in 3:55.00, while Sheena Simpkins finished in the runner-up spot in the women's 400-meter dash by navigating the track in 57.37 seconds.
Anchored by Jonathan Santana, the young men's 4x100-meter relay also qualified for IC4As by registering a third-place time of 42.38. The relay also included Jake Rachiele, Germain Smith and Earnest Waters.
The UAlbany women's program had five student-athletes place third in an event at the meet. After posting an ECAC-qualifying mark of 14.23 seconds in the preliminary race, Christen Griffin registered a time of 14.60 in the finals of the 100-meter high hurdles. Other third-place finishers included Rebecca Kelly in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles (1:02.68), Emily Finnegan in the 1,500-meters (4:51.33), Sandy Antenor in the triple jump (38-feet, 8.25-inches) and Ashley Lewis in the discus throw (130-4).
The UAlbany outdoor track and field teams will travel to Princeton University to compete at the IC4A and ECAC championship meets from May 14-16. The men's team will look to win their second consecutive IC4A crown and become the first school to capture the prestigious meet's indoor and outdoor titles in consecutive seasons since Georgetown in 2000. The feat has only been achieved 12 times since 1923. The women's program will aim to improve on last season's fifth-place finish, which was a program best, at the ECAC meet.
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UAlbany Men's Results
100-Meter Dash (Prelims): 11. Earnest Waters 10.99, 14. Germain Smith 11.04, 16. Tristan Akong 11.15, 18. Jake Rachiele 11.19, 41. Pat Weider 13.72. 100-Meter Dash (Finals): 7. Tristan Akong 10.93, 9. Earnest Waters 11.02, 12. Germain Smith 11.26. 200-Meter Dash (Prelims): 7. Jake Rachiele 22.44, 24. Alex Petit-Frere 23.18. 400-Meter Dash: 15. Alex Petit-Frere 50.91. 800-Meter Run: 2. Nick Santos 1:51.11 (IC4A), 18. Ryan Florkiewicz 1:57.82. 1,500-Meter Run: 2. Paul Lagno 3:55.00, 29. Ryan Florkiewicz 4:11.59. Triple Jump: 6. Jordan Pollock 44-8.75. 4x100-Meter Relay: 3. Jake Rachiele, Germain Smith, Earnest Waters, Jonathan Santana 42.38 (IC4A).
UAlbany Women's Results
200-Meter Dash (Prelims): 4. Sheena Simpkins 25.76, 8. Jessica Hunter 26.36. 200-Meter Dash (Finals): 4. Sheena Simpkins 25.15, 5. Jessica Hunter 25.63. 400-Meter Dash: 2. Sheena Simpkins 57.37, 5. Jessica Hunter 58.73, 8. Brittany Eveleth 59.83. 100-Meter High Hurdles (Prelims): 3. Christen Griffin 14.23 (ECAC), 8. Ashley Mahlmeister 14.81. 100-Meter High Hurdles (Finals): 3. Christen Griffin 14.60, 5. Ashley Mahlmeister 14.87. 400-Meter Intermediate Hurdles: 3. Rebecca Kelly 1:02.68, 4. Brittany Eveleth 1:03.44, 11. Kendra Adams 1:08.21. 1,500-Meter Run: 3. Emily Finnegan 4:51.33. Long Jump: 6. Ashley Mahlmeister 18-7.25. Triple Jump: 3. Sandy Antenor 38-8.25. Discus Throw: 3. Ashley Lewis 130-4. Javelin Throw: 4. Rebecca Power 114-11, 5. Ashley Lewis 106-11.
Complete Results
