University of Albany Track & Field and Cross Country Programs Receive Commitments from 17 Student-Athletes - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany’s Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Roberto Vives announced on Tuesday, July 21 that 17 student-athletes have signed national letters of intent to join the school’s men’s and women’s programs for the 2009-10 academic year. The class consisting of 11 women and six men includes five All-Americans, eight student-athletes from area high schools and four Albany Times Union All-Star honorees.

The men’s class is highlighted by middle distance runner Sean Halpin (Mount Vernon, N.Y./Iona Prep.), a four-time indoor All-American in the 800-meter run and three relays as well as a two-time all-state selection. His winning time and personal-best mark of 1:51.55 in the 800m at the Eastern State Outdoor Championships was the second-fastest in the state and ninth-fastest in the country. He also won the 800m at eastern indoors. The 2007 Empire States Games and Reebok Grand Prix champion in the 800-meters has also competed at major meets such as the Nike Outdoor National Championship, Penn Relays, Millrose Games and New Balance Collegiate Invitational. Halpin, who will also run on the Great Danes’ cross country team, earned All-Westchester County recognition every year in all three sports.

Leading the list of women’s signees is Ashley Mahlmeister (Unadilla, N.Y./Sidney). In addition to winning the Division 2 100-meter high hurdles in 14.50 seconds and Division 2 long jump with a mark of 18-feet, 7.50-inches at the New York State championships, Mahlmeister also placed second in the long jump with a mark of 19-6 and second in the triple jump after leaping 39-3.50, both personal bests, in the Federation finals. Her personal record in the long jump currently mirrors the UAlbany program’s standard. Mahlmeister recently capped her high school career with several stellar performances at the Nike Outdoor National Championship. She finished 17th in the 100-hurdles, 20th in the triple jump and 22nd in the long jump.

Kendra Adams (Charlton, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) and Aliaksandr Leuchanka (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) are the most decorated signees from Section II schools. Adams, a sprinter and hurdler, was a five-time All-American, earning the honor all four years in the distance medley relay and once in the 4x800-meter relay. The three-year captain’s personal bests include 1:03.86 in the 400-hurdles She was named an first-team All-Area by the Albany Times Union after winning the 400-hurdles title at the state qualifying meet, and sprinting 26.49 in the 200-meter dash. Leuchanka, another Albany Times Union All-Area selection who will look to bolster the men’s distance group, earned All-America laurels in the 4xMile and 4x800 and was the New York Cross Country Federation champion in leading Shenendehowa High to the team title in the fall of 2008. Leuchanka, whose best cross country mark on a 5,000-meter course was 15:04, was also a two-year captain.

Billy Phillipy (Camp Hill, Pa./Trinity) should make a strong contribution primarily as a javelin thrower. He owns the school mark of 199-3 and was the Keystone State Games gold medalist and Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association district champion. Phillipy, who may also compete in the horizontal jumping events, signed to play for the UAlbany football team as a fullback in February. He was a Class AA honorable mention all-state selection.

Patricia McNish (Great Neck, N.Y./Manhasset) is another signee who should immediately challenge for spots in the UAlbany record books along with Mahlmeister in the women’s horizontal jumping events. After winning the Nassau County Class A individual title in the long jump, she placed third in the event behind Mahlmeister with a personal-best mark of 19-4.75 in the New York State Federation championships. McNish, who has a triple jump mark of 37-5.50, also won the Nassau County individual title in the 100-meter high hurdles after crossing the tape in a personal-best time of 15.70.

Tristan Akong (Springfield Gardens, N.Y./St. Francis Prep.) and Shane Wagner (Gansevoort, N.Y./Schuylerville Central) will look to continue UAlbany’s recent prominence in the men’s sprinting and hurdles events. With times of 10.74 in the 100-meter dash and 21.84 in the 200, Akong is the fastest sprinter to ever sign with the men’s program out of high school. Wagner, an Albany Times Union second-team All-Area choice, posted top-three finishes in both hurdles events in the Federation finals at the New York State championships and competed at Nike Outdoor Nationals. He ran the 110-meter high hurdles in 14.24 and has been hand-timed at 14 flat.

The women’s program also added quality and depth in the sprinting events, an area which produced a four-time America East champion this past year. Allison Rogers (Amherst, N.Y./Amherst Central) broke school records in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dash events as well as the 4x100- and 4x400-meter relays. She ran the 100 at states for three consecutive years, which included a seventh-place finish this season at the Federation level, and has also competed in the 200, 400, 4x100 and 4x400 against the best athletes in New York. The two-year captain has clocked in personal-best times of 12.10 in the 100, 26.58 in the 200 and 58.79 in the 400-meter dash. Patrice Johnson (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) was a two-time All-American in the sprint medley relay and has personal records of 7.31 in the 55, 12.42 in the 100 and 25.43 in the 200, while Wanetta Rodney (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) holds the school record in the 55-meter dash (7.21) and has a 100-dash time of 12.24.

Another notable runner from Section II who will compete on the cross country team is Mikala Anson (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central). Her best 5K time in cross country is 17:55, while her other top efforts include marks of 4:53.09 in the 1,500-meter run and 10:25.50 at 3,000-meters. Brianna Service (Poughquag, N.Y./Arlington), an indoor All-American in the 4xMile, will improve both the cross country squad and women’s distance group. Her best performances are 5:15.09 in the mile and 10:22 in the 3,000.

Other signees who will look to contribute to the Great Danes’ growing tradition of winning conference championships will be high jump and multi-eventers Karley Giles (Altamont, N.Y./Guilderland) and Greg Kehrer (Albany, N.Y./Colonie Central), sprinter Sherez Mohamed (Albany, N.Y./Academy of Holy Names) and middle distance runner Nayamka Roberts-Smith (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central). Kehrer garnered Albany Times Union All-Area honors based upon his runner-up performance in the high jump (6-2) at sectionals.

“I am very excited about this incoming class”, said Vives, whose men’s and women’s programs have combined to win 15 America East titles and have produced five All-Americans with 10 All-America certificates at the NCAA Division I level. “They bring the quality that will keep us on the path of winning championships and move us to our goal of becoming a top-25 national program.”

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2009-10 University at Albany Women's Track & Field Signings
Name Events Hometown (High School/Previous College)

Kendra Adams Hurdles/Sprints Charlton, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake

*Mikala Anson Distance Albany, N.Y./Colonie Central

Karley Giles High Jump/Multis Alamont, N.Y./Guilderland

Patrice Johnson Sprints Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman

Ashley Mahlmeister Hurdles/Jumps Unadilla, N.Y./Sidney

Patricia McNish Hurdles/Jumps Great Neck, N.Y./Manhasset

Sherez Mohamed Sprints Albany, N.Y./Academy of the Holy Names

*Nayamka Roberts-Smith Mid-Distance Albany, N.Y./Colonie Central

Wanetta Rodney Sprints Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool

Allison Rogers Sprints Amherst, N.Y./Amherst Central

*Brianna Service Distance Poughquag, N.Y./Arlington



2009-10 University at Albany Men's Track & Field Signings
Name Events Hometown (High School/Previous College)

Tristan Akong Sprints Springfield Gardens, N.Y./St. Francis Prep.

*Sean Halpin Mid-Distance Mount Vernon, N.Y./Iona Prep.

Greg Kehrer High Jump/Multis Albany, N.Y./Colonie Central

*Aliaksandr Leuchanka Distance Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa

Billy Phillipy Javelin/Jumps Camp Hill, Pa./Trinity

Shane Wagner Hurdles/Multis Gansevoort, N.Y./Schuylerville Central