University of Albany Track & Field's Greene, Cummings, de Jesus Elias & Lewis Receive America East Weekly Awards - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Cambridge, Mass. – University at Albany’s Joe Greene, Laura Cummings, Wilfredo de Jesus Elias and Ashley Lewis were named America East Conference track and field performers of the week, as announced on Tuesday, April 28 by the league office. All four Great Danes are being recognized for their efforts at this past weekend’s Penn Relays and Capital District Classic.

Greene, who was named the male track performer of the week, met the NCAA East Regional qualifying standard in the 400-meter hurdles and ran the 400-meter leg on the sprint medley relay team which won the IC4A title at the 115th Penn Relays on April 24. Greene placed second among 49 competitors in the championship section of the 400m hurdles in 50.53 seconds, while his split time of 46.8 helped the sprint medley relay placed third among 42 teams in 3:18.89.

Cummings, who earned female track performer of the week laurels, met the regional standard for the first time this spring in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and anchored the 4x800-meter relay team which qualified for the ECAC meet at Penn Relays. She finished fifth in the championship section of the steeplechase in 10:40.64 on April 24. Two days later, she helped the 4x800-meter relay finish eighth among 29 squads in the college race with a final time of 8:59.74.

de Jesus Elias earned male field performer of the week honors for his record-breaking performance in the Penn Relays’ college division of the hammer throw. He set a new school standard by more than a foot and a personal record by over seven feet with a mark of 192-feet, 8-inches, placing him third among 25 competitors. The previous record was 191-5, which was set by Eric Opuana in 2004.

Lewis was awarded female field performer of the week accolades for winning two events at the Capital District Classic hosted by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The junior most notably set a school record in the javelin throw with a winning mark of 136-6, bettering Isabella Katsarelis’ throw of 125-4 set in 2006. She also became the first Great Dane to reach the qualifying standard for the ECAC championship meet. Lewis also won the long jump with a leap of 16-11.25 and placed second in the discus throw with a toss that sailed 128-0.

UAlbany’s track and field teams will compete at the America East Conference Championships, held at Binghamton University on May 2-3. The men’s team will look to win its fifth straight title and sixth in seven years, while the women’s squad is after its third championship overall and first since 2007.