American East Conference

Great Danes Repeat as #AETF Outdoor Champions

5/6/2018 6:56:56 PM

Catonsville, Md. – For the 10^th straight year, the Albany Great Danes have swept the America East Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The purple have won 14-straight men’s championships. For the women, it is their 10^th straight and 13^th in the last 14 years.
 
The Albany coaching staff, led by Head Coach Roberto Vives, was named Coaching Staff of the Year for both genders.
 
Stephanie Osuji was named Female Track Performer after winning both the 100 and 200-meter dashes. The Albany senior was also part of the winning 4x100 relay team that set a new meet record. Osuji was also honored with the Coaches’ Award which is given to the student-athlete who compiled the most points over the course of the meet.
 
Brian Nelson also received the Coaches’ Award after the UMBC sophomore won the 100 and 200-meter dashes and also lead off the 4x100 relay that earned a silver medal.
 
UMass Lowell’s Paul Hogan was named Male Track Performer after breaking the championship record in the men’s 10,000-meter race and also winning a gold medal in the 5K.
 
Michael Shanahan and Keishorea Armstrong were named Most Oustanding Field Performers. New Hampshire’s Shanahan broke the record in the hammer throw on Saturday while Binghamton’s Armstrong won the long jump and also took bronze in the triple jump.
 
UMBC’s Kelechi Nwanaga was also responsible for another record falling and was named Most Outstanding Rookie. The UMBC freshman set the new conference championship mark in the javelin on Saturday.
 
Albany’s Harmodio Cruz III was given the Most Outstanding Rookie award on the men’s side after finishing top-three in the 400-meter dash and 200-meter dash and also earning a gold medal on Albany’s 4x400 relay team.
 
The Elite 18 awards were handed to Vermont’s Anna Kaplan and UMass Lowell’s Josh Fontaine. Kaplan carries a 4.0 GPA in Exercise Movement Science while Fontaine holds a 3.99 GPA in Exercise Physiology.
 
Final Standings
Women

1. Albany (228 points)
2. New Hampshire (130)
3. Stony Brook (107)
    UMass Lowell (107)
5. Binghamton (75)
6. UMBC (74)
7. Vermont (60)
8. Maine (49)
9. Hartford (25)
 
Men

1. Albany (219)
2. UMass Lowell (165.5)
3. UMBC (125)
4. New Hampshire (97)
5. Binghamton (77.5)
6. Maine (53)
7. Stony Brook (47)
8. Vermont (45)
9. Hartford (24)
 
 
Day 2 Highlights

• The quartet of Taahira Butterfield, Chanel Smith, Dayleen Santana Rodriguez and Stephanie Osuji continued their strong season in the 4x100 relay, breaking the meet record with their time of 44.93.
• UMBC sophomore Kaya Knake broke the record in the women’s 800-meter run, which was held by former Olympian Lucy van Dalen. Knake finished in 2:07.23 en route to gold.
• The men’s 1500m race was one of the best of the weekend as Maine’s Jacob Johns was able to hold of Binghamton’s Eric Holt in a photo finish.
• New Hampshire senior Elinor Purrier won the 1,500m in 4:15.07, which was just shy of the record. The indoor national champion has earned three gold medals in the event in four years.
• Tara Belinsky wore gold in the women’s shot put with her winning toss of 13.75m.
• Hartford freshman Elizabeth Lodge became the first Hawk to win the heptathlon in ten years, totaling 4,628 points over the course of two days.
• Binghamton sophomore Troy Zanger won the decathlon with 6,701 points, marking the third consecutive year a Bearcat has earned gold in the event.
• Kaylyn Gordon’s mark of 12.88m in the triple jump was good for gold.

About America East: The America East provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field.