New York City, N.Y. - University at Albany's Jenn Pierson won the Eastern 3,000-meter run to highlight her team's performance on the first day of competition on at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational on Friday, Feb. 4. The nation's top four men's programs and five of the leading seven ranked women's squads are entered at the two-day meet, held at the Armory Track & Field Center.
Pierson recorded a season-best time of 10:02.61, the fifth fastest in school history, to reach the finish line ahead of Villanova's Sarah Morrison (10:03.48). Yushanni Durrant, competing for the first time this winter, took third in the 60-meter high hurdles and qualified for the ECAC championship in 8.72 seconds. Pat McNish also made the ECAC field with a ninth-place showing in the long jump, as she leaped 18-feet, 8.50-inches. Alli Rogers advanced to the 200-meter dash final by sprinting 24.90 seconds, the fourth-best time in qualifying.
Columbia overhauled UAlbany with just over one lap remaining in the women's distance medley relay. Brianne Bellon gave her team the lead on the opening 1,200-meter leg, but Columbia's Patricia Reilly sped past Kathryn Fanning on the 1,600-meter anchor leg to reach the line in 11:43.74. The Great Danes were clocked in 11:47.04, an ECAC mark and less than one second off the school record.
UAlbany's distance medley relay was second in the men's championship race. Aaron Lozier and Nick Santos ran the first and third legs on a group that met the IC4A standard with a time of 9:47.02. Jonathan Santana and Paul Lagno were also on the relay. Duke was first in 9:46.17.
Chris Burke anchored UAlbany to victory in the college 4x800-meter relay, as he rallied to beat Fordham's Brian Walter in the closing laps. The Great Danes were first in 7:40.49 and qualified for IC4As in March. Other relay members were Pat Murphy, Alex Wilke and Sean Halpin.
Alex Leuchanka placed second in the men's Eastern 3,000-meter run by posting a time of 8:31.66. Tristan Akong was third in the 60-meter dash with an IC4A-qualifying time of 6.98 seconds. Elijah Pardo tied the best mark by a UAlbany sprinter this season as he earned fourth in the 60-meter high hurdles in 8.35. Greg Kiley was 13th in the 1,000-meter race, but registered an IC4A time of 2:28.10.
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New Balance Collegiate Invitational (Armory Track Center, New York City, N.Y.)
Women's Eastern 3,000-Meter Run - 1. Jenn Pierson (UAlbany), 10:02.61; 2. Sarah Morrison (Villanova), 10:03.48; 3. Corinne Fitzgerald (East Stroudsburg), 10:04.92.
Men's Eastern 3,000-Meter Run - 1. Andy Weaver (Delaware Track Club), 8:30.14; 2. Alex Leuchanka (UAlbany), 8:31.66; 3. Keith Albrektson (Xavier), 8:32.46.
Men's College 60-Meter Dash - 1. Kemar Marsden (Texas-San Antonio), 6.97, 2. Michael Davis (Youngstown State), 6.98, 3. Tristan Akong (UAlbany), 6.98.
Men's College 60-Meter High Hurdles - 1. Alonzo Williams (Bowie State), 8.30; 2. Darius Reeves (Youngstown State), 8.33, 3. Phillip Bettis (Brigham Young), 8.33, 4. Elijah Pardo (UAlbany), 8.35.
Women's College 60-Meter High Hurdles - 1. London Finley (Georgetown), 8.55, 2. Alyssa Christensen (Brigham Young), 8.67; 3. Yushanni Durrant (UAlbany), 8.72.
Men's Championship Distance Medley Relay - 1. Duke, 9:46.17, 2. UAlbany (Aaron Lozier, Jonathan Santana, Nick Santos, Paul Lagno), 9:47.02; 3. Brigham Young, 9:48.98, 4. Texas A&M, 9:52.85.
Women's College Distance Medley Relay - 1. Columbia, 11:43.74; 2. UAlbany (Brianne Bellon, Sherez Mohamed, Jonelle White, Kathryn Fanning),11:47.04; 3. Pennsylvania, 11:50.98, 4. South Carolina, 11:51.38.
Men's College 4x800-Meter Relay - 1. UAlbany (Pat Murphy, Alex Wilke, Sean Halpin, Chris Burke), 7:40.49; 2. Fordham, 7:41.43; 3. McGill 7:57.09.
