UAlbany Women's Outdoor Track & Field Picked to Win Second Consecutive A-East Title

Cambridge, Mass. - The University at Albany has been chosen to finish first in the America East Conference women's outdoor track and field preseason poll, as announced on Tuesday, March 16 by the conference office. Head coach Roberto Vives, who is in his 25th season, has led the women's program to three of the last four America East outdoor crowns.

The Great Danes received seven first-place votes and 63 points in the women's preseason poll. Boston University was tabbed second, garnering two first-place votes and 57 points, while New Hampshire rounded out the top three.

Headlined by seniors Fey Adaramola and Laura Cummings, the UAlbany women's program brings back two America East champions and four school record holders. Adaramola, who won the 100m and 200m and anchored the second-place 4x400-meter relay at the America East competition in 2009, has established herself as the league's premier sprinter. She was the most outstanding track performer at the America East indoor meet. Cummings, who qualified for the ECAC indoor championship in five events, holds the school record in the 3,000m steeplechase (10:33.60) and will also be a threat to score in several middle-distance events. Sheena Simpkins, who challenged the program standard in the indoor 500m, and freshman Alli Rogers, an ECAC indoor 200m qualifier, add depth to the sprints. Ada Lauterbach, who competed in the steeplechase at ECACs last season, and Jenn Pierson will also look to score points in the distance events. Christen Griffen is top program's top hurdler.

UAlbany has depth in most women's field events. Kadine Johnson, who holds the school record of 162-5 in the hammer throw, is an all-conference performer who can also pile up points in the discus throw and shot put. Ashley Lewis and Catie Coxon are returning all-league discus throwers, while Lewis also holds the program standard of 136-6 in the javelin. Sandy Antenor and Tiffany Sprenkels as well as freshman Ashley Mahlmeister, who will also compete as a hurdler, have all met the ECAC mark in the triple jump. Mahlmeister is a USA Juniors qualifier in the event, while classmate Pat McNish will pace the squad in the long jump after being named all-conference during the indoor season. Celine Cauderlier, who holds the school's top indoor and outdoor pole vaulting marks, will be the favorite to win the event at the America East meet, which will be hosted by the University of New Hampshire on May 1-2.

In the men's preseason poll, UAlbany received all eight possible first-place votes and accumulated the maximum 64 points in the men's preseason poll. New Hampshire was picked second with 54 points and earned the final first-place vote, while Binghamton was chosen third with 52 points.

UAlbany returns six America East men's individual champions and three who own school records. Valete Graham is the league's two-time reigning long jump champion. He holds the program standard of 24-feet, 9.50-inches and fell just one centimeter shy of automatically qualifying for the NCAA championships last spring. Fred Casimo placed second in the long jump behind Graham at last season's championship meet. Wilfredo de Jesus Elias and Freddie Wills were also America East winners. de Jesus Elias was victorious in the hammer throw with a school-record toss of 200-3, while Wills won the decathlon despite competing on a bad ankle.

The middle-distance runners are expected to pace the Great Dane men in the track events. John Moore and Tyler Fogarty have played significant roles since they were USA Junior All-Americans in the 800-meter run as freshmen. Moore also holds the school record of 3:45.88 in the 1,500. Nick Santos is another returning all-conference selection who joined Moore and Fogarty on the winning 4x800-meter relay at last year's IC4A championship, and freshman Sean Halpin has already qualified for USA Juniors in the 1,500m. Jeffery Barnes and Pat Weider have each won the 200-meter dash title at the conference championship, while freshman Jonathan Santana, who was named the conference indoor meet's top rookie performer, has high hopes in the sprints. Freshman Alex Leuchanka will pace the distance group, while Garrett Askew is the top hurdler.

America East Conference Men's Outdoor Track and Field Preseason Poll
1. UAlbany (8) 64; 2. New Hampshire (1) 54; 3. Binghamton 52; 4. UMBC 42; 5. Boston U. 35; 6. Maine 31; 7. Vermont 21; 8. Stony Brook 17; 9. Hartford, 8.
America East Conference Women's Outdoor Track and Field Preseason Poll
1. UAlbany (7) 63; 2. Boston U. (2) 57; 3. New Hampshire 51; 4. Maine 42; 5. Binghamton 31; 6. Vermont 29; 7. UMBC 22; 8. Stony Brook 21; 9. Hartford 8.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information