BOSTON— University at Albany’s Gered Burns (Altamont, N.Y./Guilderland), University of Maine’s Kirby Davis (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth) and University of Vermont’s Jan Carlson (Vernon, Vt./Brattleboro) have been named America East Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track Performers of the Week. Albany’s Freddie Wills (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry), UMBC’s Ashley Fauntleroy (Silver Spring, Md./Paint Branch) and Maine’s Heather Zavaduk (Smithers, B.C./Smithers Secondary) are this week’s Men’s and Women’s America East Indoor Field Performers of the Week. The awards were announced Tuesday (February 14).(Week Seven recap)
Burns won the championship 800-meter run at last Saturday’s Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark. The senior defeated three 2005 All-Americans, running an IC4A-qualifying time of 1:49.86. It was the second straight week Burns has won the 800-meter after last weekend’s school record-setting performance at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational. Burns’ 800-meter run marked the first time a Albany athlete has been invited to compete at the elite Tyson Invitational. Burns has bested the IC4A-qualifying mark by more than two seconds each time he has competed in the event this season.
Davis turned in the fastest America East time in the 5000-meter at the Valentines Invitational hosted by Boston University. His time of 14:39.48 placed him 16th out of the 87 competitors in the race.
Carlson posted a win in the 55-meter Dash with the best time in America East this season (7.32), beating the New Hampshire indoor track record. Carlson also won the triple jump (11.05-meters)and finished second in the long jump (5.15-meters) in the meet versus UNH.
Wills won the long jump with a mark of 22'6.25" to help the Albany men to a win over Binghamton in a dual meet last Saturday. The mark is four inches off his personal best in the event. The freshman also placed second in the triple jump with a personal-best, IC4A-qualifying mark of 47'0.75", only nine inches off the top competitor.
Fauntleroy placed second in the women’s shot put and fourth in the women’s weight throw last weekend at the Lafayette/Rider Invitational. Fauntleroy recorded a mark of 44’08.3" in the shot put and followed that up with a mark of 50’04.7" in the weight throw.
Zavaduk cleared 3.51-meters in the pole vault, setting a new school record. She was second overall in the event at the Valentines Invitational. Zavaduk currently has the second highest vault in the conference this season.