2008 Indoor Season Preview

As a young program, the goals for The College of Saint Rose indoor track and field teams are ever so slightly increasing. Head coach Bob Dorn, now in his third year at the helm of the Golden Knights, is closing in on completely molding a new program into one that has the ability to compete within the Northeast-10 Conference. The numbers are up and the youth that has been so prevalent throughout the past two years is slowly shaping Saint Rose into a veteran squad with success looming in the near future.

“I can see us moving up in the standings on both sides this season,” said head coach Bob Dorn. “We have good depth, we are healthy and everybody seems to be pushing one another, which is creating a lot of competition amongst individuals within their respective events.”

The men’s squad finished tied for sixth at the NE-10 Championships a year ago, while the women registered a seventh place finish at the event. With 26 letterwinners returning, numerous standout transfers and a steady group of women’s distance runners coming off a solid cross country campaign, the foundation is being laid for vast improvements in the ability to compete at a high level.

Men’s Returnees (18)
Among the most successful returnees are junior hurdler Nathan Graber (Rotterdam, NY/Mohonasen), junior jumper Marc Cooke (Williston, VT/Rice Memorial) and senior long distance specialist Brad Lewis (Troy, NY/Troy).

Graber established a pair of school records last season after clocking a 9.18 in the 60-meter hurdles and running a time of 1:06.80 in the 500-meters. He recorded top-10 finishes in both the 55-meter hurdles and the 500 at the NE-10 Championships last year and is expected to once again figure into the 4x400 relay lineup.

Cooke owns the school record in the triple jump with a distance of 39 feet, 10.00 inches. He registered respective 10th and 11th place finishes in the long jump and the triple jump at the league meet in 2007 after battling injuries most of the season. Meanwhile, Lewis, who specializes in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, ran a personal-best time of 9:05.79 last season to establish a school record.

Sophomore Joe Coleman (Albany, NY/Colonie) returns as one of the top middle distance runners in the conference. He tied the best individual finish on the men’s side at the league meet after taking fifth in the 800 with a time of 2:01.59. Coleman also ran the first leg of the 4x800 relay squad that captured fifth in 8:20.14.

Coleman was joined in the 4x800 event by senior Pat Cullen (Staatsburg, NY/FDR), sophomore Kevin Flynn (Poughkeepsie, NY/Spackenkill) and junior Nick Wujciak (Corinth, NY/Corinth). Cullen should improve on last year’s eighth place time of 16:50.36 in the 5,000, and Wujciak was one of three Saint Rose runners to finish in the top-eight in the 400 after crossing the line in 55.10. Flynn will help solidify the 4x800 quartet after running the anchor leg in 2007.

Junior Matt Fahrenkopf (East Poestenkill, NY/Averill Park) is coming off a fine indoor campaign a year ago when he scored at the conference championships in the 400. Fahrenkopf broke the tape in a fifth place time of 53.36, just two seconds off the school record pace. He also helped lead the 4x400 relay squad to a fifth place showing at the event after clocking a 3:35.06.

He is joined in the sprints by junior Nate Cobbs (Albany, NY/Albany), senior Raquel Thompson (Albany, NY/Albany) and sophomore Matt Haker (Selkirk, NY/Ravena). Cobbs, who was an All-League Big 10 performer at nearby Albany High, will see action in the short sprinting events as well as the long jump and triple jump. Thompson could have a role on the 4x400 relay squad, but will most likely contribute in the 55-meter and the 200-meter dashes. Meanwhile, Haker adds a great deal of depth to a strong group of hurdlers.
Sophomore John Gamrat (Lynbrook, NY/Lynbrook) and junior Morgan Abdul-Korah (Ghana/Albany) also contributed at last year’s league meet. Gamrat took seventh in the 400 with a 54.59 clocking and could have a role on the 4x400 relay team this season. Abdul-Korah wound up 12th in the shot put with a toss of 34 feet, 1.50 inches and is expected to compete in the throwing events this year.

Senior Orlando Rivera (Garnerville, NY/North Rockland) and sophomore Zach Phelps (Homer, NY/Homer) will likely see action in the 1,000 and the one mile runs after gaining valuable experience this past fall as members of the men’s cross country squad.

Sophomores Tyler Gantz (Rosendale, NY/Rondout Valley) and Brandon Madigan (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glenville) are also products of the Saint Rose cross country program. Gantz was the third Golden Knights across the line at the NE-10 Championships and the NCAA Northeast Regionals this fall. He will likely push Lewis and Cullen in the 3,000 and 5,000, while Madigan has the ability to contribute in both of those events after garnering All-American and All-State accolades as a cross country runner in high school.

Senior Brian Hupe (Knox, NY/Berne-Knox-Westerlo) contributed mainly in the throwing events as a member of the outdoor track and field team last spring. He owns the school record in discus at Berne-Knox-Westerlo and could also see time in the middle distance events.

Men’s Newcomers (6)
The list of new faces features two freshmen, three transfers and a junior that all bring a positive attitude and invaluable work ethic to the team. Junior Kevin Jackson (Schenectady, NY/Schenectady) arrives from the University at Buffalo, while sophomore Travis Rytell (Halfmoon, NY/Mechanicville) spent last season at Alfred State. Jackson was the section II champion in the hurdles at Schenectady and Rytell is a solid all-around athlete who will be expected to compete in the sprints, jumps and pole vault in his first season on the team.

Sophomore Jeremy Chapline (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) comes from Nazareth College as a thrower. He registered four school records (two indoor, two outdoor) last season for the Golden Flyers and should make an immediate impact in the shot put and the weight throw throughout the indoor season. Chapline tossed the shot put 43 feet, 0.25 inches and recorded a heave of 38 feet, 11.75 inches in the weight throw.

Freshmen Christopher Allin (Troy, NY/Catholic Central) and Patrick Kennedy (Albany, NY/Colonie) are both distance runners that got a taste of collegiate competition as members of the cross country team this past fall. Junior Charles Olinger (Bethlehem, NY/Ravena), who competed on the JV baseball team at the College over the past two season, will add depth in the sprinting events.

Women’s Returnees (11)
Sophomores Ann Palmer (Colonie, NY/Colonie) and Ashlee DeVito (Mayfield, NY/Mayfield) combined to set three school records in only their first year on the squad last season. Palmer’s leap of 16 feet, 7.00 inches in the long jump at the Wesleyan Invitational last January etched her name into the record books, while DeVito cleared four feet, 8.25 inches in the high jump and tossed the shot put 35 feet, 1.00 inch to establish her school marks. Palmer will also compete in the 200 and 400-meter events as well.

Senior Nicolena Asaro (Minisink Valley, NY/Minisink Valley) and junior Kara Kenny (Lake Peekskill, NY/Putnam Valley) join DeVito in what is shaping up to be a deep group in the throwing events. Asaro took eighth at the NE-10 meet last season with a toss of 31 feet, 2.50 inches in the weight throw. Kenny was able to contribute in the discus last spring on the outdoor squad and made an appearance at the New York State Meet as a senior at Putnam Valley.

Junior Joanne Smith (Monroe, NY/Monroe-Woodbury) and sophomores Melissa Bredice (Colonie, NY/Colonie), Emily Medeiros (Saranac, NY/Saranac), Nikki Madden (Bellmore, NY/Sacred Heart), Katie Rossettini (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) and Abby Ingraham (Grafton, NY/Berlin) provide the foundation for success in the 4x800 relay, the distance medley and the middle distance events.

Smith took seventh in the one mile run at the conference championships after crossing the line in 6:05.82, while Bredice took eighth in the 5,000 in 21:22.92. The duo also combined with Madden and Rossettini to finish fourth in the distance medley with a 13:55.70 clocking. Additionally, Madden ran a 2:33.12 in the 800 to take eighth at the NE-10 meet, while Rossettini was eighth in the 500 in a time of 1:23.63.

Medeiros ran the eighth fastest time at the league meet in the 1,000 after breaking the tape in 3:25.75 and Ingraham is expected to come back close to full strength after battling injuries throughout most of the fall cross country campaign. Aside from the middle distance events, Ingraham may see action in the long jump as well.

Junior Tracy Nedeau (Tiverton, RI/St. Mary Academy) concludes the list of veterans and will contribute in the long jump and triple jump. Nedeau chalked up three top-five finishes during the outdoor campaign last spring.

Women’s Newcomers (12)
A total of 11 freshmen and one junior will look to make an indelible impression on the women’s program that should be competitive in the distance events and improve on last year’s seventh place finish at the NE-10 meet.

Meaghan Lucie (West Islip, NY/St. John the Baptist) and Courtney DeLorenzo (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) will join forces in the distance events. The duo represent two of the top young distance runners in the program and were constantly pushing each other during the cross country campaign when Lucie was the first Saint Rose finisher on four occasions and DeLorenzo was in the top-three for most of the season. Additionally, DeLorenzo owns part of the school record at Guilderland in the 4x800 relay.

They are joined in the distance events by Meghan Coffey (Suffern, NY/Suffern), Melissa Gordon (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh) and Monica Hastedt (South Onondaga, NY/Onondaga). Coffey was a four-time All-League pick in cross country at Suffern, Gordon garnered Colonial Council All-Star accolades throughout her four years of high school and Hastedt was named Onondaga’s Most Outstanding Female Athlete after capturing sectional titles in the 3,000 steeplechase and the 4x800 relay.

In the hurdles, Keysla Sano (Monroe, NY/Monroe-Woodbury) has the potential to break onto the NE-10 scene in 2008. Sano was second overall in the 400 hurdles at the league meet to close out her senior campaign at Monroe-Woodbury.

Another section II champion in Alison Vogelien (Voorheesville, NY/Voorheesville) arrives from nearby Voorheesville. Vogelien captured sectional titles in the triple jump and long jump last spring. Meanwhile, a pair of throwers in Kelsey Carey (Whitehall, NY/Whitehall) and Allison McAllister (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) will help solidify the shot put and the weight throw. Carey owns the school record in the shot put at Whitehall and was named Female Athlete of the Year following her senior season. McAllister registered school marks in the shot put and discus at Mohonasen as well.

Lyndsay Cooper (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga), Stacey Smolinski (Troy, NY/Troy) and Kendra Bianchi (Montague, NJ/Port Jervis) round out the newcomers. Cooper will use her athleticism in the sprints after playing on a state ranked field hockey squad as well as competing in lacrosse throughout her high school career. Smolinski is the lone junior representing the incoming class and will contribute in the middle distance events. Bianchi, who is also a member of the volleyball team at Saint Rose, was a three-sport athlete at Port Jervis, which allows her to compete in a variety of events in her first year of competition.

Schedule
Both clubs will compete in seven events during a seven week span beginning on Saturday, January 12 when Saint Rose heads to the Crowell Open at West Point. The Golden Knights will spend the next two Saturday’s at the RIT Invitational in Rochester and the Wesleyan Invitational in Middletown, CT. After taking one week off from late January to early February, Saint Rose hits the road for the Smith Tartan Invitational on Saturday, February 9 in Northampton, MA. The last tune-up prior to the NE-10 Championships takes place on Friday, February 15 at the Lafayette/Rider Invitational being held at the 168th Street Armory in New York, NY. Southern Connecticut State University is slated to host the NE-10 Championships on Saturday, February 23 at 11:00 am in New Haven. Finally, the Golden Knights will head back to the Armory for the NYU Fast Track Invitational on Friday, February 29 in their final meet of the indoor season.

Summation
Improvements on both sides of the ledger are expected from this group by the coaching staff. The men’s team has the ability to make a “quantum leap” into the middle of the pack in 2008. Lewis continues to provide stability in the long distance events, Coleman is one of the top young 800-meter runners in the NE-10 and Rytell, Jackson and Chapline have proven their worth prior to coming aboard the Saint Rose program this season. The women will undoubtedly be led by a quality group of young distance runners in Bredice, Lucie and DeLorenzo. Palmer seems to be at full strength having shown the ability to compete among the top jumpers and sprinters as a freshman, while DeVito and Asaro should help solidify the field events. With such an influx of new talent competing at the collegiate level for the first time, the women’s club has nowhere to go but up.