By: By Matt Palisin, Asst. SID
Meet website (results updated after each event)
FREDONIA, N.Y. -- The Fredonia State track and field teams travel to Oneonta this Friday and Saturday to take part in the SUNYAC Championships. Both the men's and women's squads feature a deep talent pool looking to make a splash under second-year coach Tom WIlson.
Based on the seedings going into the meet, according to WIlson, the Devil men sit in sixth place with sights set on closing the gap on nearest competition of Buffalo State and Brockport. On paper, the women would appear to finish in seventh, but are on the heels of Plattsburgh and Oneonta. Wilson is hoping for the upward trend of his team's performances to continue.
The men's team has a pair of No. 1 seeds heading into the meet in
Broncho Rollins and
Spencer Lefort.
Rollins, a senior, owns the top mark in the conference in the pole vault this year. Wilson, a former pole vaulter himself, sees the vault as one of the Devils' best opportunity to score points with five of the top 16 seeds.
Cody Dahleiden (fourth),
Ben Nalette (seventh),
Henry Haines (15th), and
Ben Goebel (16th) will be competing for the Devils.
The other No. 1 seed, Lefort, is the top decathlete in the conference this season.
The Devils will also rely on
Webster Thomas -- who is seeded fourth in both the 100- and 200-meter runs -- for points. Thomas is also part of the 4 x 400 relay team that is seeded fourth.
Jonmichael Knapp will look to team with Thomas in the relay. In addition, Knapp will compete in the 400- and 800-meter runs.
Nick Watson and Dahleiden round out the 4 x 400 relay squad.
Watson and fellow freshman freshman
Zakk Hess will both compete in the 800- and 1,500-meter runs.
Jack Bennett is seeded eighth in the 10,000 meter.
Nico Piacentini is eighth in the 400-meter hurdles and steeplechase. Steven Whittemore is seeded 12th in the steeplechase.
The duo of
Andrew Charsky and
Alex Brennan will compete in the long jump and triple jump. Charsky is seeded second in the triple jump and 13
th in the long jump.
A pair of javeliners --
Mike Taylor (seeded fourth) and
Kyle Paganello (fifth) -- give the Devils a chance to score.
Max Radley is seeded ninth in the hammer throw and looks to move up.
The top eight in each event earn points.
For the women's track events, the Devils will rely on
Leslie Beaton to score in the 400-meter run. Beaton has been steadily improving her times each race.
The Devils will enter three runners in the 800 meters – Kimberly Foltz,
Kateri Walsh, and
Angela Richter each qualified.
The highest seed for the women is the 4 x 100 relay team seeded second.
Four Devils will compete In the long jump.
Melissa Cummiskey and
Emily Cummiskey are seeded third and ninth, respectively. Jessica Strozyk and Alyssa O'Conner add to the depth.
In the field, the Devils will look for a big performance from
Nicole Desens. Desens is the No. 3 seed in the discus heading into the meet. At the Roberts Weslyan meet, she set the second-best mark in school history and will be gunning for the Fredonia State record.
Four Devils qualified in the hammer throw.
Kathleen Goodberlet (fourth seed),
Loren Metzger (seventh), Desens (ninth), and
Jenna Fiacco (15
th) will be counted on to earn points.
Several other seeded athletes will compete for the Devils in an effort to improve their current standing.
