Bellon & Fanning Power University of Albany to Successful Defense of America East Indoor Womens' Track & Field Crown - UAlbany Sports 2011

Boston, Mass. - University at Albany's Brianne Bellon and Kathryn Fanning, a pair of freshman, powered UAlbany to a successful defense of its title on Saturday, Feb. 19 at the America East Conference Women's Indoor Track & Field Championships. The two-day event was held at Boston University's Track and Tennis Center. The Great Danes scored 206.5 points, the second-highest total recorded at the conference indoor meet.

Bellon and Fanning each picked up individual championships and led the 4x800-meter relay to victory. Bellon, who received meet's most outstanding rookie award, became the first UAlbany athlete in league history to win the 800-meters by running 2:12.31, her best time of the season and the third-fastest in school annals. Fanning won the 1,000-meter run in 2:53.10, the fourth-best mark in UAlbany history. She is the first Great Dane to finish first in the race since 2007. Bellon and Fanning were joined on the winning relay by Jessica Panos and Jonelle White. The group bettered the ECAC-qualifying standard by nearly 20 seconds in reaching the finish line in 9:05.67.

"Brianne Bellon and Kathryn Fanning are fierce competitors and they set the tone," offered UAlbany coach Roberto Vives, whose team missed the America East team scoring record by less than one point. "They both come from great high school programs and have competed a national-caliber level. We had a number of ECAC qualifiers today and received contributions from everyone."

Kadine Johnson, who won the weight throw on the first day, was second in shot put with a toss of 45-feet, 3-inches. Alli Rogers was edged out at the finish in the 400-meter dash, as she and the winner were both clocked in 56.69 seconds. Sandy Antenor (triple jump) and Jessica Hunter (500-meters) also recorded second-place showings. Antenor went over 40 feet for the third time this winter with a mark of 40-08.75. Hunter, who ran an ECAC-qualifying time of 1:15.26, also led the 4x400-meter relay to a winning performance. Brittany Eveleth, Nyree Richardson, Tierra Chavis and Hunter were clocked in 3:51.88.

Paw Prints: The Great Danes have won consecutive America East Conference indoor championships ... UAlbany's 206.5 points was nearly a conference record, as Boston U. scored 206.83 to win the 2007 America East title ... Roberto Vives and his assistants were named the America East Coaching Staff of the Year ... Brianne Bellon, the meet's top rookie, ran an unofficial 2:11 anchor leg on the winning 4x800 relay ... Christen Griffin had third-place finishes in the 60-hurdles and 200-dash, plus was fifth in the 60-dash.

America East Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships

WOMEN - 1. UAlbany 206.50, 2. Boston U. 119, 3. Maine 112, 4. New Hampshire 99, 5. Vermont 68, 6. UMBC 64.50, 7. Stony Brook 61, 8. Binghamton 40, 9. Hartford 9.

Individual

Mile Run - 1. Lucy Van Dalen (Stony Brook), 4:38.48 (conference record); 2. Corey Conner (Maine), 4:43.37; 3. Olivia Burne (Stony Brook), 4:50.39.
60-Meter Hurdles - 1. Jesse Labreck (Maine), 8.39; 2. Nikko Brady (Boston U.), 8.52; 3. Christen Griffin (UAlbany), 8.70.
400-Meter Dash - 1. Jessica Hennig (Binghamton), 55.69; 2. Alli Rogers (UAlbany), 56.69; 3. Kirsten Jones (UMBC), 56.95.
500-Meter Dash - 1. Megan Donohue (New Hampshire), 1:14.35; 2. Jessica Hunter (UAlbany), 1:15.26; 3. Elia Francis (UAlbany), 1:15.27.
60-Meter Dash - 1. Shelby Walton (Boston U.), 7.64, 2. Cearha Miller (Maine), 7.70; 3. Jodi-Ann Walker (UAlbany), 7.81.
800-Meter Run - 1. Brianna Bellon (UAlbany), 2:12.31; 2. Kaitlin Kwiecien (New Hampshire), 2:12.68; 3. Jonelle White (UAlbany), 2:14.03.
1,000-Meter Run - 1. Kathryn Fanning (UAlbany), 2:53.10; 2. Marisa Guerette (Vermont), 2:55.13; 3. Darcy James (New Hampshire), 2:55.83.
200-Meter Dash - 1. Shelby Walton (Boston U.), 23.87 (conference record); 2. Cearha Miller (Maine), 24.10; 3. Christen Griffin (UAlbany), 24.69.
3,000-Meter Run - 1. Holly Van Dalen (Stony Brook), 9:24.00 (conference record); 2. Annie Keown (Stony Brook), 9:25.79; 3. Katie Matthews (Boston U.), 9:31.94.
4x800-Meter Relay - 1. UAlbany (Jessica Panos, Kathryn Fanning, Jonelle White, Brianne Bellon), 9:05.67; 2. Maine, 9:06.04; 3. Vermont, 9:10.16.
4x400-Meter Relay - 1. UAlbany (Jessica Hunter, Brittany Eveleth, Nyree Richardson, Tierra Chavis), 3:51.88; 2. Maine, 3:52.48; 3. New Hampshire, 3:54.13.
Triple Jump - 1. Jesse Labreck (Maine), 40-10.25; 2. Sandy Antenor (UAlbany), 40-08.75; 3. Camille Quarles (New Hampshire), 40-01.25.
Shot Put - 1. Amanda Deller (UMBC), 47-00.25; 2. Kadine Johnson (UAlbany), 45-03.00; 3. Chelsea Curry (Boston U.), 44-04.00.
High Jump - 1. Allison Barwise (Boston U.), 5-10.00; 2. Jesse Labreck (Maine), 5-10.00; 3. Katherine McGeoghan (Maine), 5-07.00.

Final America East Conference Track & Field Results - https://admin.xosn.com/attachments1/95322.htm

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information