Fredonia University

A standout multi-year SUNYAC champion, Cara Pellechia has established herself as one of Fredonia State’s top track & field athletes, earning Female Athlete of the Year honors twice and Rookie of the Year once. A specialist in the pole vault and short sprints, she is a three-time SUNYAC pole vault champion (indoors and outdoors) and the school record holder in the outdoor pole vault.

During the 2024–25 season, she set a personal best of 3.65m in the outdoor pole vault to win the SUNYAC title, added a 60-meter PR of 8.03, and earned multiple event victories. In 2023–24, she won the SUNYAC indoor and outdoor pole vault crowns, broke the outdoor school record (3.63 meters), and posted PRs in the 100m and 200m. As a first-year (2022–23), she claimed her first SUNYAC pole vault championship and quickly became one of the conference’s top vaulters.

2024-25
Indoors: PR in the 60 meters at the Spartan Alumni Classic at Case Western with a time of 8.03 seconds ... won the pole vault competition at the Houghton Highlander Invitational  ... SUNYAC indoor champ in the pole vault after clearing 3.60 meters (11’ 9.75”) ... 1st place at the Rochester Spring Twilight in the pole vault. Outdoors: PR in the outdoor pole vault of 3.65 meters (11’ 11.75”) to place 1st at the SUNYAC championship outdoor meet ... also ran a PR in the 100 (:12.46) before running :12.90 in the final to finish seventh at the SUNYAC meet ... Fredonia State Female Athlete of the Year. 

2023-24
Indoor: PR in the indoor 200m at the Fasttrack National Invite at Ocean Breeze (:27.55) ... PR in the indoor pole vault at 3.50 meters (11’ 5.75”) to place first at the SUNYAC indoor championship. Outdoors:  PR in the outdoor 200 meters at the University of Rochester Alumni Invitational (:26.48) ... PR and school record in the outdoor pole vault of 3.63 meters (11’ 10.75”) at the Westminster Invitational ... PR in the 100 at the SUNYAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships to finish seventh (:12.74) ... cleared 3.50 meters at the same meet (11’ 5.75”) to become SUNYAC women's outdoor pole vault champ ... Fredonia State Female Athlete of the Year. 

2022-23
Indoors: 1st place at the Houghton December Classic in the pole vault ... 1st place at the Nazareth Conference Tune Up in the pole vault ... PR in the indoor pole vault of 3.40m (11’ 1.75”) at the SUNYAC Indoor Track and Field Championships. Outdoors: Won her first SUNYAC pole vault title by clearing 3.35 meters (10’ 11.75”) at the outdoor championship meet ... Fredonia State Female Rookie of the Year. 

Personal: Daughter of Cheryl and Matthew Pellechia ... has two siblings, Amanda Kyle and Jason Pellechia ... minor in School and Counseling Psychology ...2022 graduate of Hilton H.S., where she also was a member of the soccer team ... high school track coach was Andy Fetzner.