Tianna Rhoomes, Shenequa Vassell - Bobbi Palma 2026
Bruce Dudek/UAlbany Athletics

Men's Track and Field

Track & Field Set for America East Outdoor Championships

ALBANY, N.Y. - The UAlbany track and field teams are set for the 2026 America East Outdoor Championships. 
 
MEET INFORMATION
 
America East Outdoor Championships
DATE: Saturday-Sunday, May 9-10
SITE: Cushing Field Complex - Lowell, Mass. 
STREAM:
     ESPN+: Day 1 | Day 2
     Int'l Stream (AmericaEast.TV): Day 1 | Day 2
     Throws (AmericaEast.TV): Hammer & Javelin | Discus | Shot Put
RESULTS: Lancer Timing
TICKETS: Evenue
AE CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL: AmericaEast.com
 
LAST TIME AT AE CHAMPIONSHIP
Women
  • The Great Dane women won their 16th consecutive outdoor title, their 18th overall.
  • UAlbany scored 187 total points, which put them ahead of New Hampshire by 59 points (128 total), with nine individual championships and 17 medalists overall.
  • The sprinters (100m) and the hurdlers (100m hurdles) swept the podium.
  • Combined with the men, the Great Danes earned nine top-10 performances.
  • Shantae Pryce earned the Coaches' Award for scoring the most points for her team.
Men
  • The Great Dane men combined for their first title since 2022, bringing them to 19 overall outdoor championships.
  • The team led with 163.5 points, which was enough to beat the runner ups, UMBC, by 18.5 points (145). 
  • UAlbany had six individual champions and 14 overall medalists.
  • The men's team saw Hassan Abidi break a 31-year old meet record in the 800m, and the 4x100m relay team break a meet record set by UAlbany's 2024 4x100m relay team. 
  • Combined with the women, the Great Danes earned nine top-10 performances.  
  • The coaching staff was named Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
AMERICA EAST INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Both the men's and women's track and field teams placed second at this year's America East Indoor Track & Field Championships. 
 
Women
  • As a team, the Great Danes took home four event wins with 11 total medalists and 30 overall scorers.
  • Both the DMR and 4x800m relays took home gold to highlight the meet. Both relays consisted of Skyler Smith, Arianna Verardi, Jaymee Yelton, and Aiva Pinches
  • Adaliz Hunt (60m) and Nattaly Lindo (WT) also took home gold in their respective events.
  • Smith and Verardi recorded top-10 performances in their respective individual events. 
  • Smith improved to second all-time in the 1000m.
  • Verardi dropped over eight seconds to set the freshman record in the mile. Her performance also put her third all-time. She also improved to sixth all-time in the 1000m. 
  • Ivanna De La Cruz Flores also set a freshman record in the 500m dash. 
 Men
  • As a team, the Great Danes took home four event wins with 13 total medalists and 30 overall scorers.
  • The 4x800m relay, consisting of Jacob Smith, Isaac Graber, Steve Hines, and Mikolaj Gancarz, not only won gold, but also broke the 14-year old meet record in the event. 
  • Smith also took gold in the mile after setting the program record earlier on in the season. 
  • Tooni Ogunyeye secured back-to-back gold in the 60m dash and earned his first gold medal in the 200m dash. 
  • Ogunyeye was named the meet's Outstanding Track Performer and earned the Coaches' Award for scoring the most points for his team.
  • Frankie Gonzalez (SP, 3rd), Jed Elmbarki (3000m, 5th), Nick Sealey (400m, T6th), and Julio Martinez (500m, T9th) all entered or improved upon their previous top-10 performances in their respective events. 
  • Sealey also set the freshman record in the 400m dash with his performance.
 
BROKEN RECORDS
The 2026 outdoor season has seen one new program record set by Jacob Smith as well as one new freshman record from Sierra Anderson
 
1500m - Jacob Smith
  • Time: 3:42.64
  • Date: April 3, 2026
  • Meet: Pepsi Florida Relays | Percy Beard Track | Gainesville, Fl.
  • Paul Lagno set the previous record, 3:44.66, in 2011. 
 
Hammer Throw - Sierra Anderson
  • Mark: 54.36 (178-4)
  • Date: April 24, 2026
  • Meet: Capital District Classic | RPI's Ned Harkness Field & Track | Troy, N.Y.
  • Anderson initially broke the previous record (53.23m), set by Ludith Campos in 2019, at RPI Under the Lights April 11, but then broke her own record two weeks later. 
 
SETTING THE BAR HIGHER
Since this season began, 22 Great Danes have either entered the program's top 10 or improved their previous mark/ranking.   
AMERICA EAST EVENT LEADERS (W/M)
100m: Adaliz Hunt / Tooni Ogunyeye
200m: X / Tooni Ogunyeye
800m: Skyler Smith  / Steve Hines
1500m: Skyler Smith / Jacob Smith
400mH: Brinesha Derrick-Bain / X
3000mS: X / Jed Elmbarki
4x100m: A. Hunt, Vassell, Pryce, Eruotor / X
4x800m: X / Gancarz, J. Smith, Lewis, Hines
High Jump: Amelia Benjamin / X
Long Jump: X / Samir Gardner
Triple Jump: X / Leonard Durau
Discus Throw: Lalenii Grant / X
Hammer Throw: Keegan Collins / X
 
Full Performance Lists: Women | Men 
 
NORTHEAST OUTDOOR RANKINGS
Checkpoint 3: Women (5) | Men (8)
Checkpoint 4: Women (7) | Men (12)
Checkpoint 5: Women (6) | Men (8)
Checkpoint 6: Women (6) | Men (10)
 
*Checkpoints 1-2 are not available
 
Full Rankings: Women | Men
 
NORTHEAST OUTDOOR TOP EIGHT
Amelia Benjamin: High Jump (1, 1.79m)
Lalenii Grant: Discus Throw (1, 56.81m)
Tooni Ogunyeye: 100m (2, 10.25)
Keegan Collins: Hammer Throw (2,  59.46m)
Beatriz Mora-Herencia: Javelin Throw (3, 47.18m)
Samir Gardner: Long Jump (4, 7.49m)
Brinesha Derrick-Bain: 400mH (5, 59.58)
Marissa Gordon: Long Jump (5, 6.12m)
Nattaly Lindo: Shot Put (6, 14.79m)
4x100m (W): 45.25 (6)
Anthony Couch: 400mH (7, 52.53)
Jed Elmbarki: 3000mS (7, 8:51.19)
Leonard Durau: Triple Jump (7, 15.20m)
Thalia Benoit: 400mH (8, 1:00.03)
 
Full Performance Lists: Women | Men
 
NCAA EAST OUTDOOR TOP 48
Lalenii Grant: Discus Throw (10, 56.81m)
Amelia Benjamin: High Jump (17, 1.79m)
Keegan Collins: Hammer Throw (33, 59.46m)
Tooni Ogunyeye: 100m (41, 10.25)
Jed Elmbarki: 3000mS (42, 8:51.19)
Samir Gardner: Long Jump (43, 7.49m)
Beatriz Mora-Herencia: Javelin Throw (45, 47.18m)
Leonard Durau: Triple Jump (47, 15.20m)
 
NCAA OUTDOOR TOP 50
Lalenii Grant: Discus Throw (16, 56.81m)
Amelia Benjamin: High Jump (47, 1.79m)
 
AE PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK
Mar. 24 Apr. 7 Apr. 14 Apr. 21 Apr. 28  
RETURNING 2025 AMERICA EAST OUTDOOR MEDALISTS  
CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREE
  • Since UAlbany's first America East Championship in 2003 (men's indoor), the men and women's cross country and track and field programs have combined for 70 titles. 
  • Combined, the UAlbany track and field teams have totaled 31 indoor titles and 37 outdoor titles in the last 22 years. This equates to 68 of the available 88 indoor and outdoor titles that have been up for grabs. 
  • The women's outdoor team currently holds the longest active winning streak with 16 consecutive America East Championships. 
  • The program's six teams have collectively won 70 of UAlbany's 140 Division 1 championship titles after they swept both their indoor and outdoor conference championships last season. 
  • Since the Great Danes' first title in 2003, at least one program has won an America East Championship every year since then.
 
AMERICA EAST OUTDOOR HISTORY
  • Since 2009, the women's outdoor track and field team has won 16 consecutive conference titles. Extending to the 2006 championship, the women's team has won 18 in 19 seasons.
  • The men's team has won 19 since their first in 2003, including 17 consecutive wins from 2005 to 2022. 
  • In 2017, the men set a single-meet program record with 10 event victories. The women's team set theirs in 2019, the year of their Triple Crown, with nine event victories.
 
AMERICA EAST OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS MEET RECORDS
UAlbany
Women 
100mH: Toni Golloway - 13.45 - 2025
400mH: Grace Claxton - 58.51 - 2015
4x100m: 44.93 - 2018
Triple Jump: Leann Nicholas - 13.22m (43-4.5) - 2023
Shot Put: Shelby Bigsby - 15.22m (49-11.25) - 2024
Discus Throw: Venique Harris - 54.29m (178-1) - 2019
 
Men
100m: Shak Williams - 10.17 - 2022 
800m: Hassan Abidi - 1:48.30 - 2025
400mH: Joe Greene - 49.97 - 2009
4x100m: 40.22 - 2025
4x800m: 7:31.52 - 2023
Pole Vault: Luke Schoen 5.27m (17-3.5) - 2011
Long Jump: Louis Gordon - 7.73m (25-4.5) - 2023
High Jump: Alexander Bowen Jr. - 2.22m (7-3.25) - 2013
Triple Jump: Devon Willis - 16.00m (52-6) - 2018
Discus Throw: Travis Robinson - 56.91m (186-8) - 2022
 
Other
Women 
100m: Mercedes Jackson (UMBC) - 11.36 - 2015
200m: Caitlyn Bobb (UMBC) - 23.44 - 2022
400m: Amanda Stead (Stony Brook) - 53.07 - 2019
800m: Emily Mackay (Binghamton) - 2:06.46 - 2022
1500m: Lucy Van Dalen (Stony Brook) - 4:14.71 - 2012
3000mS: Laura Rose Donegan (UNH) - 9:49.16 - 2016
5000m: Corey Conner (Maine) - 15:59.66 - 2012
10,000m: Ruth White (UNH) - 32:57.83 - 2025
4x400m: UMBC - 3:39.24 - 2022
4x800m: New Hampshire - 8:47.16 - 2017
Pole Vault: Rita Ciambra (UNH) - 4.15m (13-7.25) - 2011
Long Jump: Viktoriya Rybalko (Maine) - 6.37m (20-10.75) - 2003
High Jump: Kerstin Darsney (UMass Lowell) - 1.80m (5-10.75) - 2017
Hammer Throw: Mackenzie Wilson (Maine) -  62.95m (206-6) - 2024
Javelin Throw: Kelechi Nwanaga (UMBC) - 53.10m (174-2) - 2018
Heptathlon: Allison Barwise (BU) - 5,276 - 2012
 
Men
200m: Alpha Balde (UMBC) - 20.81 - 2025
400m: Tewado Latty (BU) - 46.29 - 2011
1500m: B. Schalpak (Northeastern) - 3:42.75 - 1989
3000mS: M. Kyrronen (BU) - 8:41.79 - 1993
5000m: Vann Moffett (Stony Brook) - 14:08.04 - 2021
10,000m: Ryan Slaney (Bryant) - 29:13.28 - 2025
110mH: Trae Proctor (UMBC) - 14:01 - 2014
4x400m: Binghamton - 3:10.72 - 2010
Shot Put: Derek Anderson (Northeastern) - 18.90m (62-0.25) - 2004
Hammer Throw: Michael Shanahan (UNH) - 67.29m (220-9) - 2018
Javelin Throw:  James Kotowski (UMass Lowell) - 71.79m (235-6) - 2023
Decathlon: Keith Onto (UMBC) - 7,239 - 2010
 
Keep up with all of the latest news, highlights, and insights on UAlbany softball by following the team on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
 
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Players Mentioned

Leann Nicholas

Leann Nicholas

TJ
5' 10"
Senior
Hassan Abidi

Hassan Abidi

S/MD
5' 10"
Senior
Louis Gordon

Louis Gordon

J
6' 1"
Fifth Year
Travis Robinson

Travis Robinson

T
6' 4"
Graduate Student
Anthony Couch

Anthony Couch

S/H
6' 0"
Sophomore
Jose Davis-Whittaker

Jose Davis-Whittaker

S
5' 8"
Sophomore
Jed Elmbarki

Jed Elmbarki

D
5' 8"
Redshirt Junior
Mikolaj Gancarz

Mikolaj Gancarz

MD
6' 2"
Junior
Frankie Gonzalez

Frankie Gonzalez

T
5' 10"
Senior
Isaac Graber

Isaac Graber

D
6' 0"
Junior
Steve Hines

Steve Hines

MD
5' 8"
Graduate Student
Jerry Lewis

Jerry Lewis

MD/D
5' 11"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Leann Nicholas

Leann Nicholas

5' 10"
Senior
TJ
Hassan Abidi

Hassan Abidi

5' 10"
Senior
S/MD
Louis Gordon

Louis Gordon

6' 1"
Fifth Year
J
Travis Robinson

Travis Robinson

6' 4"
Graduate Student
T
Anthony Couch

Anthony Couch

6' 0"
Sophomore
S/H
Jose Davis-Whittaker

Jose Davis-Whittaker

5' 8"
Sophomore
S
Jed Elmbarki

Jed Elmbarki

5' 8"
Redshirt Junior
D
Mikolaj Gancarz

Mikolaj Gancarz

6' 2"
Junior
MD
Frankie Gonzalez

Frankie Gonzalez

5' 10"
Senior
T
Isaac Graber

Isaac Graber

6' 0"
Junior
D
Steve Hines

Steve Hines

5' 8"
Graduate Student
MD
Jerry Lewis

Jerry Lewis

5' 11"
Sophomore
MD/D