Pioneer Men Lead After Day One of Nationals, Women 8th

The Alfred State College men's track and field team leads after day one of the 2009 NJCAA Division III National Championships held at Pioneer Stadium.  The Pioneers scored 52 first day points and lead 2nd place Harper College (IL) by 13 points.  On the women's side, the Lady Pioneers have earned 7th points.

Alex Curran (Williamson) and Wenley Louis (Irondequoit) won national championships for the blue and gold. 

• Curran won the pole vault with a leap of 4.32 m.  He finished ahead of teammate Dan Reynolds (Wayland Cohocton) based on the number of misses.  Reynolds also cleared 4.32.  Broncho Rollins (Ithaca) completed the 1-2-3 sweep for ASC with a leap of 4.17 m.
• Louis edged out Justin Lawrence (College of DuPage) by .02 m to win the long jump.  Louis winning jump measured 7.10 m.

John Sweeney (Barker) earned All-American honors in the 10,000 m with a 2nd place finish in the race.  He crossed the finish line in 34:27.89.

David Gross (Brockport) finished 4th and set a new Alfred State record in the hammer throw with a toss of 48.18 m.  The men's 4 x 800 relay team of Hector Cuero (Middletown), Brian Zintel (Letchworth), Matt Owlett (Alfred Almond), and Logan Drummer (Pioneer) finished in 4th with a run of 8:08.27.

On the women's side Lindsey Johnson (Dansville) finished 5th in the hammer throw (31.31 m) while Allyne O'Hearn (Pelham, NH/Hornell) finished 6th in the 10,000 m (46:38.24).

Alfred State's Schuyler Duross (Johnstown) and Shawna McNeil (Hornell) each lead after day one of the multi event. 

• Duross has a 51 point lead over Aaron Ryan of Erie CC after earning 3,093 points in the first five events of the decathlon.  He had the top time in the 100 m (11.91) and the 400 m dash (51.95).  Duross was 2nd in the long jump (5.99 m), the shot put (9.13 m), and the high jump (1.86 m)
• McNeil accumulated 2,302 points in the first four events of the heptathlon.  She leads 2nd place Chantal Salamone (Herkimer CCC) by 108 points.  McNeil had the top performance in the high jump (1.54 m) and the second best performances in the 100 m hurdles (16.53) and the shot put (8.60 m).

One NJCAA Track & Field Championship record was broken by Harper College's Ryan Asta in the hammer throw.  He set a new standard with a toss of 52.93 m.

Action continues tomorrow all day beginning at 9 a.m. with the second day of the decathlon and heptathlon.  Field events begin at 1 p.m. and running events at 2:45 p.m.

Full results and more information about the national championships can be found at: http://www.alfredstate.edu/athletics/2009-outdoor-track-and-field-national-championships

  Women - Team Rankings - 4 Events Scored
===============================================================================
    1) Mohawk Valley CC    33        2) Gloucester County College  26  
    3) DuPage                      23        4) Harper College             17  
    5) Herkimer County CC12        6) Roxbury CC                 10  
    7) Erie                               8        8) Alfred State                7  
    9) Delhi                             6       10) Finger Lakes CC             5  
   11) Monroe College         4       11) Queensborough CC            4  
   13) Middlesex CC            1                                          
 
                     Men - Team Rankings - 5 Events Scored
===============================================================================
    1) Alfred State                52        2) Harper College         39  
    3) Delhi                           31        4) DuPage                     24  
    5) Mohawk Valley CC   13        6) Erie                            10  
    7) Middlesex CC            8         8) Cumberland CC         4  
    9) Monroe College         3         9) Queensborough CC   3  
   11) Howard CC               2        11) Bronx CC                    2  
   11) Suffolk County CC   2         14) Bergen CC                 1  
   14) Kingsborough CC    1