Pallozzi and Greene Earn All-American Status at NCAA Track & Field Championships

Sacramento, Calif. – University at Albany’s Marc Pallozzi finished eighth in the finals of the javelin throw to earn his second-straight All-American status at the NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships on Friday evening at California State University, Sacramento’s A.G. Spanos Sports Complex. Sophomore Joe Greene finished fourth in the men’s 400-meter intermediate hurdles finals on Saturday afternoon to also earn All-American status. With their finishes, the pair became the first Great Dane track and field athletes in UAlbany history to score points at an NCAA meet.

Greene’s time of 49.92 set a new school record and made him the top UAlbany finisher at an NCAA event. Pallozzi, who finished 10th in the NCAA Championships last year, recorded a throw of 224-feet, 5-inches to finish eighth.

“Joe had a great performance,” said UAlbany head coach Roberto Vives. “He used running in lane 8, which is usually a disadvantage, to his advantage because he wasn’t watching the other runners. He made a step up from last season and defeated guys he hadn’t beaten before.”

Greene, a two-time IC4A champion and the 2007 America East Conference Championship’s most outstanding performer, finished third at NCAA East Regionals to qualify for the national meet. He sprinted a school-record 50.18 to register the best finish by a UAlbany athlete in regional competition.

“To have two All-Americans is great for our program,” offered Vives. “Our goal is to become a top-20 track and field program, and we are on our way.”

NCAA Track & Field Championships

Men’s Javelin

1. Justin Ryncavage (North Carolina), 241-5; 2. Adam Montague (North Carolina), 236-1; 3. Aris Borjas (Cal Poly), 234-4; 4. Cody Fillinich (Northwestern State), 230-5; 5. Chris Hill (McNeese State), 229-4; 6. Chad Rdgowski (LSU), 225-11; 7. Ryan Brandel (Oregon), 225-11; 8. Marc Pallozzi (UAlbany), 224-5; 9. Michael Maloney (Tennessee), 220-11; 10. Preston Chatham (LSU), 212-3; 11. Tanner Evak (Penn State), 207-4; 12. Alex vanderMerwe (Texas-El Paso), 199-6.

400-Meter Hurdles –Finals

1. Isa Phillips (LSU), 48.51; 2. Brandon Johnson (UCLA), 49.02; 3. Justin Gaymon (Georgia), 49.43; 4. Joe Greene (UAlbany), 49.92; 5. Thomas Hilliard (South Carolina), 49.93; 6. Andrew Peresta (Hampton), 50.85; 7. Bryan Scott (Texas Tech), 51.01; 8. Hamza Deyaf (Texas), 51.24.

Marc Pallozzi Advances to Men's Javelin Final at NCAA Track & Field Championships

Sacramento, Calif. -- University at Albany’s Marc Pallozzi advanced to the men’s javelin final at the NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships on Wednesday, June 6 at California State University, Sacramento’s A.G. Spanos Sports Complex. Pallozzi reached the final round for the second straight year with a throw of 216-feet, 2-inches.

Pallozzi finished seventh in his flight and 11th overall against 26 throwers in the preliminary round. He earned a spot in the 12-competitor final on Friday at 10:15 p.m. ET. Defending NCAA champion Justin Ryncavage, of North Carolina, took ninth in the preliminaries (217-10), while McNeese State’s Chris Hill had the best mark of the day (238-10).

“It was a nerve-racking experience,” said Pallozzi, the America East Conference champion whose best throw came on his first attempt. “There is certainly a sense of relief that I made the final. Funny things happen at nationals and there were several top-10 throwers who didn’t make it today. It’s going to take a school record in the 71-meter range to finished in the top three in Friday’s final.”

Pallozzi, the UAlbany record holder in this event, reached the NCAA meet with a fifth-place finish at East Regionals on May 26. He placed 10th at last year’s NCAA championships. Gered Burns (Guilderland) competes later today at 6:40 p.m. ET in the 800-meter run.

NCAA Track & Field Championships

Men’s Javelin – Preliminary Round

1. Chris Hill (McNeese State), 238-10, 2. Chad Rodgowski (LSU), 230-07, 3. Aris Borjas (Cal Poly-SLO), 229-04, 4. Alex vanderMerwe (Texas-El Paso), 227-0, 5. Ryan Brandel (Oregon), 226-05, 6. Cody Fillinich (Northwestern State), 224-07, 7. Tanner Evak (Penn State), 224-02, 8. Adam Montague (North Carolina), 217-11, 9. Justin Ryncavage (North Carolina), 217-10, 10. Matthew Maloney (Tennessee), 216-06, 11. Marc Pallozzi (UAlbany), 216-02, 12. Preston Chatham (LSU), 214-02.