Orange Sports Spotlight Archive - Syracuse University Athletics

Click here for the 1999-2000 Track & Field Orange Sports Spotlight Archive.

Sept. 4 | Sept. 11 | Sept. 18 | Oct. 2 | Oct. 9 | Oct. 16 | Oct. 30 | Nov. 13 | Nov. 20 | Jan. 22 | Jan. 29 | Feb. 5 | Feb. 12 | Feb. 20 | March 19 | April 2 | April 9

April 9

The Orange track & field squads continued their outdoor season this past weekend with a trip to Durham, NC and the Duke Invitational. Eight student-athletes recorded top-10 finishes at the meet. It was Syracuse’s second consecutive weekend in North Carolina after participating in the Raleigh Relays hosted by North Carolina State on March 30-31.

Adrian Wins Third Discus Competition
Sophomore Tim Adrian (Moorpark, CA) won his third discus title in four meets this outdoor season, setting another personal-best with a throw of 173’3". Adrian’s previous best in the discus was 168’11" set at the Hurricane Invitational in Miami on March 17. The sophomore now has won the discus at the Hurricane Invitational, the Texas Southern Relays and the Duke Invitational.

Sophomore Also Excels in Shot Put
Aside from having the Orangemen’s four best discus throws of the season, sophomore Tim Adrian (Moorpark, CA) also established a new personal-best in the shot put with a throw of 53’0", SU’s longest of the season. Adrian’s throw was good enough for third place at the Duke Invitational.

Throwers Continue to Excel
Along with Adrian, sophomore Steve Bedard (Windsor, Ontario) and senior Alex Brown (New Paltz, NY) also recorded top-10 finishes in the throwing events at Duke. Brown finished eighth in the shot put with a throw of 47’9.25". Bedard notched two top-10 showings. He was ninth in the shot put with a mark of 47’9", and also was eighth in the discus with a toss of 150’6".

Pole Vaulter Finishes Fifth
Sophomore Joel Carusone (Slingerland, NY) recorded his second top-five finish of the outdoor season, placing fifth at the Duke Invitational with a vault of 15’5". Carusone won the Texas Southern Relays on March 23-24 with a season-best 15’7".

Jones Records Highest Women’s Finish
Senior Opal Jones (Capitol Heights, MD) had the Orangewomen’s highest finish, placing fifth in the 100-meter hurdle finals with a time of 13.82. Jones won her heat of the preliminary round, crossing the tape in 13.83.

Culley Finishes in Top 10 Twice
Junior Alison Culley (Foxborough, MA) placed 7th and 10th in the 200-meter and 100-meter dashes, respectively. Culley ran a 12.01 in the preliminary round of the 100-meter dash and a 24.46 in the 200-meters.

Dwyer Runs Season Best Time
Junior Stacyann Dwyer (Huntington Station, NY) finished seventh in the 400-meter hurdles at the Duke Invitational with a season-best time of 1:01.76. Dwyer’s previous best was 1:01.86 at the Raleigh Relays on March 30-31.

Lynch Finishes Sixth with Season-Best in 800 Meters
Freshman KeriAnn Lynch (Londonderry, NH) crossed the tape in sixth place of the developmental section of the 800-meter run at Duke. Her time of 2:17.11 is her best of the season, taking over six seconds off her previous outdoor best.

Orangewomen Qualify Two for BIG EAST
Sophomores Sean Burnett (Uniondale, NY) and Sam Prescod (Bridgetown, Barbados) reached the BIG EAST qualifying standards in the 200-meter dash and high jump, respectively. Burnett ran a personal-best 22.04, while Prescod cleared 6’3.25", his best of the season.

Syracuse Competes in Dartmouth Triangular Meet
SU heads to Hanover, NH this weekend for a triangular meet with Dartmouth and Boston College on Saturday, April 14.

April 2

Five members of the Syracuse University track and field teams posted top-ten finishes at the Raleigh Relays this weekend in Raleigh, NC. The two-day event, hosted by North Carolina State University, concluded Saturday, March 31.

Culley Continues Speed Streak
Junior Alison Culley (Foxborough, MA) cleared postseason qualifying standards in the 100-meter dash for the fourth time this spring. With her time of 11.96 in the event, she finished ahead of the qualifying times established to compete at The BIG EAST Conference and ECAC/IC4A Championships this spring. Culley placed fourth in the event, garnering a pair of top-five placements. Culley clocked a time of 11.96 seconds in the 100-meter dash to finish fourth.

Culley Earns Bid to Race in 200-Meter Dash
With her fourth-place finish in the 100-meter dash, junior Alison Culley (Foxborough, MA) earned the right to race in the 200-meter dash invitational. Culley posted a fourth-place finish with a time of 24.47. It was the second time in the event this season that she posted a qualifying time in the 200.

Jones Ties Season-High
Senior Opal Jones (Capitol Heights, MD) tied her best time of the season in the 100-meter high hurdles. Jones clocked a 13.76, a mark she established at the Hurricane Invitational in March. Jones has qualified for both the BIG EAST and ECAC/IC4A Championships in the event.

Dwyer Posts Sixth-Place Finish in 400-Meter Hurdles
In the 400-meter hurdles event, junior StacyAnn Dwyer (Huntington Station, NY) placed sixth, completing the course in 1:01.86. Dwyer, who had already qualified for postseason competition in the event, surpassed the standards to race at the BIG EAST and ECAC/IC4A.

Adrian Tosses a Pair of Top-Ten Placements
Sophomore Tim Adrian (Moorpark, CA) recorded a pair of of top-ten finishes in Raleigh. On Friday, he placed sixth in the shot put, tallying a season-best throw of 15.98 meters. He also finished seventh in the discus with an attempt of 49.60 meters. The result in the discus was his second-longest throw of the season. He posted qualifying distances for the BIG EAST and ECAC/IC4A meets in both events.

Brown Qualifies for BIG EAST Championship
Senior Alex Brown (New Paltz, NY) cleared the qualifying standard in the shot put for the second time this season in Raleigh. Brown placed eighth in the event, joining sophomore Tim Adrian (Moorpark, CA), to give SU two top-ten finishers in the shot put. Brown netted a distance of 15.42 meters.

Chaney Breaks Four-Minute Mark
Sophomore Matt Chaney (Suffield, CT) cleared the four-minute barrier in the 1,500-meter run. His time of 3:59.88 was the fastest by an Orangeman in 2001. He placed 39th in the event.

Pompey Times Personal Season-Best in 100-Meter Dash
Senior Allison Pompey (Cohoes, NY) clocked her fastest time of the season in the 100-meter dash. Pompey recorded a time of 12.55, which was 32nd at the meet.

Giles Records Orangemen’s First Time in the 400-Meter Dash
Sophomore Eugene Giles (Prospect, KY) posted SU’s fastest time of the season in the 400-meter dash. Giles ran a 50.79 in the event, finishing in 74th place.

Bedard Scores First Hammer Throw Score of the Season
Sophomore Steve Bedard (Windsor, Ontario) was the first Orangeman to compete in the hammer throw this season for Syracuse. Bedard posted a throw of 40.93 meters.

Boland Posts BIG EAST Qualifying Time
Sophomore Aleccia Boland (London, Ontario) posted a BIG EAST qualifying time in the 1,500-meter run. Boland timed a 4:41.92 in the event, marking the third time this season that she has cleared the conference standard in the event.

Orange Return to North Carolina for Next Meet
The men’s and women's teams return to North Carolina for the Duke Invitational April 6-7 in Durham.

March 19, 2001

After a week off, the Orange track & field team began outdoor competition at the Hurricane Invitational hosted by the University of Miami on March 17. Overall, Syracuse qualified for the BIG EAST Outdoor Track & Field Championship in 10 events. The Orangemen and Orangewomen also reached ECAC/IC4A qualifying standards in seven events.

Jones Wins First Race of Outdoor Season
Senior Opal Jones (Capitol Heights, MD) won the 100-meter hurdles at the Hurricane Invitational in a personal-best time of 13.76. Jones’ performance qualified her for both the BIG EAST and ECAC championships. The time took .44 of a second off her previous personal best. Jones finished the indoor season as the Orange’s only NCAA provisional qualifier, reaching the mark in the 60-meter hurdles.

Adrian Sets Personal Best in Discus
Sophomore Tim Adrian (Moorpark, CA) took the discus championship in Miami, setting a personal-best mark with a throw of 168’11". Adrian’s throw reached both the BIG EAST and ECAC qualifying marks. Adrian finished fourth in the discus at last season’s league championship.

Culley Continues Breaking Records
Junior Alison Culley (Foxborough, MA) qualified for both the conference and regional championships in two events at the Hurricane Invitational. Culley finished fourth in the 100-meter dash with a school-record time of 11.76. She broke her own mark of 11.84 set last season. It was the third consecutive meet that Culley broke a school record after setting the indoor 60-meter dash record at both the BIG EAST and ECAC championships. Culley also reached both qualifying standards in the 200-meter dash with a ninth-place clocking of 24.41.

Dwyer Qualifies in Outdoor Debut
Junior Stacyann Dwyer(Huntington Station, NY) beat both the league and regional qualifying standards in her first 400-meter hurdle race as a member of the Orangewomen. Dwyer finished third at the Hurricane Invtiational with a time of 1:02.26.

Triple Jumpers Off to Flying Start
Junior Aprelle Watkins (Virginia Beach, VA) and senior Latoya Redden (Syracuse, NY/Henninger) finished third and fourth, respectively, in the triple jump at the Hurricane Invitational. Watkins qualified for the ECAC and BIG EAST championship meets with a leap of 39’01". Redden also reached both marks with a jump of 38’11.5".

Orangemen Qualify Two in 100-Meter Dash
Sophomores Richard Polidore (Chino, CA) and Sean Burnett (Uniondale, NY) each qualified for the conference championship in the 100-meter dash, finishing 13th and 20th, respectively at the Hurricane Invitational. Polidore finished in 10.82 seconds, while Burnett ran a personal-best 11.11.

Trammell Makes Transition from the Hardwood
Junior Tara Trammell (Constantia, NY) made her collegiate track & field debut, finishing 13th in the shot put at the Hurricane Invitational with a throw of 37’05.25". Trammell, a reserve on the Orangewomen basketball team, did not compete during the indoor season because of her basketball committements. She is the first Orangewoman to compete in a throwing event this season.

Up Next
Syracuse heads for Houston, TX to participate in the Texas Southern Relays on March 23-24.

Feb. 20, 2001

Jones Hits NCAA Provisional Standard
Senior Opal Jones (Capitol Heights, MD) became the first Syracuse performer this season to reach an NCAA qualifying mark when she hit the provisonal standard in the 60-meter dash at the BIG EAST Indoor Championship at the Carrier Dome on Feb. 17-18. Jones reached the mark in Saturdays preliminaries when she clocked an 8.41, the fastest time in the prelims. She picked up All-BIG EAST accolades on Sunday, finishing third in the 60-meter hurdle finals with a time of 8.47.

Carusone Does It Again
For the second consecutive year, sophomore Joel Carusone (Slingerland, NY) earned All-BIG EAST honors in the pole vault. Carusone cleared 1509.00" to finish in a second-place tie at this past weekends conference championship. He also finished second at the 2000 BIG EAST indoor meet.

Culley Rewrites Record Book Twice
Junior Alison Culley (Foxborough, MA) broke her own school record in the 60-meter dash on consecutive days at the BIG EAST Indoor Championship. Culley ran the third-best time in Saturdays prelims with a 7.60 clocking, .03 of a second better than the Syracuse record. She placed fourth in Sundays finals, crossing the tape in 7.59, topping her record yet again. Culley entered the season with the school record at 7.75 and has run nine races this season at 7.71 or better.

Culley Runs Best 200-meter Dash of the Season
After her fourth-place showing in the 60-meter dash, Culley came back to record a fifth-place finish in the 200-meter dash, crossing the line in 24.79. She ran her first two races of the season under 25 seconds, clocking a 24.84 in Saturdays preliminary round. She was the only Syracuse performer, men or women, to score for the Orange in two events.

Adrian Saves Best For Last
In his final 35-pound weight throw competiton of the season, sophomore Tim Adrian (Moorpark, CA) recorded a personal-best and Syracuse season-best mark with a heave of 5401.75". Adrians performance was good enough for seventh place at the conference championship. It was the fifth time this season that he has established a new personal-best in weight throw. Adrian entered the season with a personal-best of 490.75". His shortest throw of 2001 was 5005.5". The sophomore is qualified for the IC4A Indoor Championship on March 3-4 in the shot put.

Bedard Places in Shot Put
Sophomore Steve Bedard (Windsor, Ontario) had his second-best performance of the season, finishing seventh in the shot put at the conference indoor meet with a throw of 5200.50". Bedard was one of four Orangemen to score at the meet. He will compete in the shot put at the IC4A competition in Boston on March 3-4.

Watkins Continues Comeback
In her first season back after having a bone removed in her foot, junior Aprelle Watkins (Virginia Beach, VA) has made a successful comeback. She reached the finals of the womens triple jump at this past weekends BIG EAST Indoor Championship, finishing eighth with a jump of 3902.50". Watkins has the Orangewomens four best triple jumps of the season and is qualified for the ECAC Indoor Championship in Boston on March 3-4.

Polidore Scores in 200-meter Dash
Sophomore Richard Polidore (Chino, CA) scored for the Orangemen at the BIG EAST meet on the track when he finished eighth in the 200-meter dash. Polidore ran a 22.41 in the finals after recording the fifth-fastest preliminary time with a 21.87 clocking.

Duo Runs Season-Best Miles
Sophomore Maria Varela (Deer Park, NY) and freshman Lauren Rich (Londonderry, NH) each ran their fastest miles of the season at the conference championship. Varela ran a 5:11.42, just over three seconds faster than her previous best, while Rich shaved over .50 of a second of her personal-best, crossing the tape in 5:25.16.

Feb. 12, 2001

Carusone Provides SU's Best Finish
Sophomore Joel Carusone (Slingerland, NY) finished second in the pole vault at the Cannon IV Classic hosted by Butler University on February 10-11. Carusone's vault of 16'01" was his best of the season, and the second-best mark of the season to date in the BIG EAST. Carusone had already reached the qualifying standards for both the league and the IC4A indoor championship meets.

Adrian Sets Personal-Best Mark in Two Events
Sophomore Tim Adrian (Moorpark, CA) had the best meet of his career at the Cannon IV Classic, setting personal records in both the shot put and the weight throw. Adrian finished seventh in the shot put, launching a throw of 52'10.75", the longest by an Orangeman this season. He also recorded the longest Syracuse weight throw of the year, placing 10th with a personal-best throw of 53'11.75".

Polidore Earns Two Top-Five Finishes
Sophomore Richard Polidore (Chino, CA) placed in the top five of two events at the Cannon IV Classic. Polidore was fourth in the long jump with a personal-best 2308.25". That performance would also rank among the top five in the BIG EAST. Polidore recorded a fifth-place showing in the 200-meter dash with time of 21.84, his second-fastest time of the season.

Two Orangewomen Among Top Eight in 60-Meter Events
Junior Alison Culley (Foxborough, MA) recorded one of two top-eight finishes by the Orangewomen when she finished eighth in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.68, her third-best time of the season. Culley has already set a school record and qualified for the ECAC and BIG EAST indoor meets in the event. Senior Opal Jones (Capitol Heights, MD) also finished eighth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.62. She has qualified for the conference and ECAC indoor championships.

Boland Peaking at Right Time
Sophomore Aleccia Boland (London, Ontario) ran a personal-best 5:04.84 in the mile run at the Cannon IV Classic in her last race before the BIG EAST Indoor Championship. Bolands time was the fastest by an Orangewoman this season, breaking the previous mark by almost 10 seconds. Boland now owns three of the top four mile times for Syracuse this season.

Czabaj Taking Over 800-Meter Run
Freshman Mike Czabaj (Avenel, NJ) ran his best 800-meter race of the season at the Cannon IV Classic, crossing the tape in 1:56.24, the Orangemens fastest time of the season. Czabaj also held the previous top-time at 1:56.53.

Varela Posts Fastest 3,000 Meters
Sophomore Maria Varela (Deer Park, NY) ran the Orangewomens fastest 3,000-meter race of the season, clocking a 10:19.55. She had already run Syracuses three fastest 3,000-meters of the year. Her best time previous to the Cannon IV Classic was 10:21.03.

Feb. 5, 2001

Polidore Wins Two Events at Syracuse Invitational
Sophomore Richard Polidore (Chino, CA) showed his versatility, winning the long jump and the 55-meter dash at the Syracuse Invitational on Saturday, February 3. Polidore's winning long jump of 23'03.25" is the Orangemen's best of the season. He also clocked SU's fastest time in the 55-meters at 6.49. Normally a 200-meter runner, it was the first time in his career that Polidore had competed in the event.

Culley a Multiple Winner
Junior Alison Culley (Foxborough, MA) won both the 55-meter and 200-meter dashes at the Syracuse Invitational. Culley's winning 55-meter time of 7.04 was a personal best and just .01 of a second off the school record set by Maretta Hagwood in 1993. Her 200-meter time of the 25.12 is the fastest by an Orangewoman this season.

Burnett Hits BIG EAST Mark
Sophomore Sean Burnett (Unioindale, NY) made himself eligible for the conference championship meet in the 200-meter dash. Burnett finished third in the event with a time of 22.60, his best of the season. He is the second Orangeman to qualify for the 200-meters, joining Polidore.

Varela Earns BIG EAST Spot in First Attempt
Sophomore Maria Varela (Deer Park, NY) qualified for the BIG EAST Indoor Championship, running the mile in 5:14.54, the Orangewomen's fastest of 2001. It was the first time this season that Varela had even competed in the mile run. She also holds SU's fastest times in the women's 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter runs.

Lynch Captures First Career Victory
Freshman KeriAnn Lynch (Londonderry, NH) was victorious in the 800-meter run at the Syracuse Invitational, earning her first collegiate victory. Lynch's time of 2:18.59 was just off her personal-best set at the Penn State National Open. The rookie is qualified for the BIG EAST championship in the event with the Orangewomen's best time of the season (2:18.28).

Carusone Earns ECAC Award
Sophomore Joel Carusone (Slingerland, NY) was named the ECAC Division I Field Athlete of the Week on January 20 for his performance at the Penn State National Open. Carusone finished seventh of 41 competitors with a vault of 15'89." The mark was his best of the season and the top performance thus far in the BIG EAST. He is now qualified for the IC4A Championship.

Dwyer Wins 400-Meter Dash
Junior StacyAnn Dwyer (Huntington Station, NY) also won her first race as an Orangewoman, capturing the 400-meter dash at the SU Invitational in 57.10. Dwyer is already qualified for both the BIG EAST and ECAC indoor championships in the event with a season-best time of 56.76.

Bedard Gets Shot Put Victory
Sophomore Steve Bedard (Windsor, Ontario) won his first shot put competition of the season at the Syracuse Invitational. Bedard's winning throw of 51'03.5" was his second-longest of the season. He is qualified for both the BIG EAST and IC4A meets in the shot put and for the conference championship in the 35-pound weight throw.

Adrian Claims First in Weight Throw
Sophomore Tim Adrian (Moorpark, CA) won the 35-pound weight throw at the Syracuse Invitational with a personal-best heave of 52'08.75". It was the third time this season that Adrian established a new personal-best in the event. He was also the only competitor to record top-three finishes in both throwing events, placing second in the shot put. Adrian is qualified for the conference and regional meets in the shot put and has reached the league standard in the weight throw.

Jan. 29, 2001

Culley Breaks School Record
Junior sprinter Alison Culley (Foxborough, MA) broke her own Syracuse record, recording a time of 7.63 in the 60-meter dash at the Penn State National Open on Friday, January 26. Culley's time was good enough for sixth place. The previous mark, set by Culley earlier this season, was 7.67. Culley also held the women's indoor 60-meter dash record entering the season with a mark of 7.75.

Polidore Establishes Personal Best
Sophomore Richard Polidore (Chino, CA) ran the fastest 200-meter dash of his career, finishing seventh at the Penn State National Open with a time of 21.82. His previous career-best in the event was 21.83. Polidore's time was just .36 of a second off the school record set by Cory Ward in 1996, and was .57 of a second away from the NCAA provisional qualifying standard.

Chaney Reaches Conference Standard
Sophomore Matt Chaney (Suffield, CT) broke his personal record and qualified for the BIG EAST indoor meet in the mile, recording a time of 4:20.59. Chaney shaved six seconds off his previous personal-best time, and became the first Orangemen distance runner to earn a berth in the conference championship.

Carusone Vaults into IC4A Competition
Sophomore Joel Carusone (Slingerland, NY) finished seventh in the pole vault at the Penn State National Open with a season-best effort of 15' 9". Carusone's mark matched the IC4A standard, making him the fifth Orangemen to qualify for regional competition.

Rookie Qualifies for BIG EAST Meet
Freshman Mike Czabaj (Avenel, NJ) ran the Orangemen's fastest 800 meters of the season and qualified for the BIG EAST Indoor Championship with a time of 1:56.53. Czabaj bettered his previous personal-best by over a second (1:57.58), joining junior Naeem Smith (Brooklyn, NY) as an SU conference qualifier in the 800-meter run.

Lynch Paces Orangewomen 800 Meters
Freshman KeriAnn Lynch (Londonderry, NH) recorded the fastest 800-meter run time of the season for the Orangewomen, crossing the tape in 2:18.28. That time was not only a personal best, but also qualified Lynch for BIG EAST competition. The Orangewomen now have an entrant in every event from the 60-meter dash through the mile run with the exception of the 1,000-meter run which no Syracuse runner has competed in this season.

Boland Qualifies for Second Event
Sophomore Aleccia Boland (London, Ontario) will compete at the BIG EAST Indoor Championship in two events after qualifiying in the 800-meter run at the Penn State National Open. Boland's time of 2:18.29 was just .01 of a second behind teammate KeriAnn Lynch's season-best performance. Boland is also conference-championship bound in the mile.

Redden Doubles Orangewomen's Presence in the Triple Jump
Senior Latoya Redden (Syracuse, NY/Henninger) became the second Orangewoman to reach the BIG EAST qualifying standard in the triple jump with a season-best leap of 37'6.5" at the Penn State National Open. Redden will join teammate Aprelle Watkins (Virginia Beach, VA) in the event at the conference championship meet.

Home Date Next Up for Orange
Syracuse will compete in its second home meet of the season, hosting the Syracuse Invitational on Saturday, February 3 in Manley Field House. The Orange will return home to host the BIG EAST Indoor Championship on Feburary 17-18 in the Carrier Dome.

Jan. 22, 2001

Throwers Prove Strong Point for Orangemen
The trio of senior Alex Brown (New Paltz, NY) and sophomores Tim Adrian (Moorpark, CA) and Steve Bedard (Windsor, Ontario) has been especially successful in the early going of the 2001 indoor season. All three have qualified for the BIG EAST Indoor Championship in the shot put, with Adrian and Bedard also reaching the IC4A qualifying mark. Entering the Kroger Invitational on January 19-20, Bedard held the longest throw thus far in the BIG EAST with a personal-best 52' 9.5". Adrian's personal-best throw of 52' 0.5" is the second-best mark to date in the conference.

Adrian Topping Self in Weight Throw
Aside from his proficiency in the shot put, Adrian has also fared well in the 35-pound weight throw this season. He has set personal-best distances in two consecutive meets, topping out with a throw of 52' 6.75" at the Kroger Invitational hosted by Virginia Tech. Adrian's throw netted him a 10th-place finish in the 31-competitor field.

Bedard Earns ECAC Award
Bedard was recognized on January 16 as the ECAC Division I Male Field Athlete of the Week for his performances at a U.S. Track Coaches Association Series meeet at Penn State. Bedard finished second and sixth in the shot put and weight throw, respectively. He set a personal best in the shot put with a 52' 9.5" heave, qualifying him for the IC4A championship meet. He also owns the Orangemen's longest weight throw of the season with a mark of 53' 4.25".

Crowd Off to Flying Start
Senior Alicia Crowd (Greenwich, NY) has qualified for regional competition in two individual events. Crowd posted a season-best time of 56.08 in her first 400-meter race of the season, winning the event in a triangular meet hosted by SU on January 7. She went on to qualify for the ECAC meet in the 500-meters the next week at Penn State, finishing second with a time of 1:15.77.

Jones Has Career Day at Kroger Invitational
Senior Opal Jones (Capitol Heights, MD) finished sixth in finals of the 60-meter hurdles at the Kroger Invitational with a time of 8.64 seconds. That time would have been a personal record, however Jones clocked an 8.55 in the preliminary round, breaking her old personal-best time by .18 of a second. Both her times at the Kroger Invitational were under the ECAC qualifying standard.

Jumpers Qualify for Regional Competition
A pair of Orange jumpers reached ECAC and IC4A qualifying standards at the Kroger Invitational. Sophomore Richard Polidore (Chino, CA) reached the mark in the long jump with a leap of 23' 2.75". Polidore was already qualified for regional competition in the 200-meter dash. Junior Aprelle Watkins (Virginia Beach, VA) set a personal best and met the ECAC standard in the triple jump with a mark of 40' 10.25". Her jump placed her sixth of 26 competitors in the event.

Sprinter Paces Orangewomen
Junior sprinter Alison Culley (Foxborough, MA) has led the group of Orangewomen sprinters, qualifying for the ECAC Indoor Championship in two individual events. Culley reached the qualifying standard in the 60-meter dash, running a 7.67 at both Penn State and in the preliminaries of the Kroger Invitational. She will also compete regionally in the 200-meter dash, running a season-best 25.22 at Penn State. Culley was named ECAC Division I Female Track Athlete of the Week on January 10, following her season-opening performance in a triangular meet hosted by Syracuse. She was victorious in the 55-meter dash and finished second in the 200-meter dash, while helping the Orangewomen 4x400-meter relay squad to a first-place finish.

Dwyer Adjusts Quickly to Division I Competition
Junior StacyAnn Dwyer (Huntington Station, NY), a junior college transfer, did not take long to make her mark on the Orangewomen squad. In her first 400-meter race of the season, Dwyer clocked a 57.10, making her eligible for both the BIG EAST and ECAC indoor meets. She then recorded a season-best time of 56.79 to finish eighth in the 58-competitor field at the Kroger Invitational.

Nov. 20, 2000

Teams Record Top-10 Finishes at ECAC and IC4A Championships
The Orangemen and Orangewomen finished the 2000 season at the ECAC and IC4A Championship held at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, NY on Saturday, Nov. 18. The men's team finished ninth of 21 teams in the University section of the IC4A event, while the Orangewomen were seventh of 24 teams in the University section of the ECAC meet.

Varela Has Top Women's Showing For the seventh time in as many races, sophomore Maria Varela (Deer Park, NY) was the Orangewomen's top finisher. Varela earned a fourth-place showing at the ECAC Championship, running the five-kilometer course in 18:45.80. Her time was Syracuse's second-fastest of the season. Varela improved her time by more than a minute and gained 52 spots in the standings from the same race last season.

LaPointe and Cole Earn Top-40 Honors
Graduate student Michelle LaPointe (Scotia, NY) ended her Syracuse cross country career, finishing 29th at the ECAC Championship with a time of 19:27.50. Sophomore Emilie Cole (Carlisle, PA) crossed the line in 36th place with a time of 19:34.10.

McHenry Establishes Season Best
Freshman Marygrace McHenry (Harleysville, PA) saved her best effort for last, ending her rookie campaign with her fastest time of the season. McHenry finished the race in 20:08.00, two seconds faster than her previous best.

Mberia Goes Out on Top
Senior Antony Mberia (Nairobi, Kenya) finished his Syracuse cross country career as the Orangemen's top runner at the IC4A Championship. Mberia was 15th overall, clocking a 26:24.50 for the five-mile course. It was the fifth time this season that the senior posted the Orangemen's fastest time. He also finished the season with Syracuse's two-fastest outings of the season.

Nov. 13, 2000

Squads Compete at Northeast Regional
The Orangemen and Orangewomen cross country teams returned to action at the Northeast Regional Championship held at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, NY on November 11. Both teams finished 25th out of 34 and 36 teams, respectively.

Mberia Paces Men's Squad
Senior Antony Mberia (Nairobi, Kenya) was the Orangemen's top finisher for the fourth time in seven races this season. Mberia clocked a 33:16.4 for the 10-kilometer race, finishing 81st out of 215 runners. It was Syracuse's first 10K race of the season, following six consecutive eight-kilometer events.

Varela Leads Syracuse in Women's Regional
Sophomore Maria Varela (Deer Park, NY) was Syracuse's top finisher at the Northeast Regional Championship. Varela has crossed the line first among the Orangewomen participants in all six of the races she has competed in. Her time of 22:42.3 on the six-kilometer course placed 84th in the 229-competitor field. Varela improved her 1999 showing by more than 70 places. She finished 152nd in the event last season.

Three Orangewomen Break Season-Best Times
Three Orangewomen runners established season-best times for a six-kilometer race. The biggest improvement belonged to graduate student Michelle LaPointe (Scotia, NY). LaPointe finished with a time of 23:24.9, taking 42 seconds off her time from the Paul Short Invitational on October 7. Sophomore Aleccia Boland (London, Ontario) also showed a marked improvement in the six-kilometer event, finishing with a time of 24:19.1, 24 seconds faster than her time at the Paul Short Invitational. Freshman Lauren Rich (Londonderry, NH) clocked a 23:41.1, improving her best 6K time by two seconds.

Oct. 30, 2000

Syracuse Runs at BIG EAST Championship
Both the men's and women's cross country teams participated in the BIG EAST Championship held at Franklin Park in Boston, MA on Friday, Oct. 27. The Orangemen and Orangewomen each finished in 13th place. Boston College claimed the women's crown, featuring four runners in the top 10. Providence earned the men's title, boasting the top two individual finishers.

Mberia Saves Best for Championship Meet
Senior Antony Mberia (Nairobi, Kenya) shattered his personal best, running a 25:10 for the 8,000-meter race. Mberia's previous best was 26:01 earlier this season at the Paul Short Invitational. That race had also been the Orangemen's fastest time of 2000.

Varela Once Again Leads Orangewomen
Sophomore Maria Varela (Deer Park, NY/St. Anthony's) was the Orangewomen's leading runner at the BIG EAST Championship, finishing the 5,000-meter course in 19:03. Varela has been the Orangewomen's top finisher in every race that she has run this season. Her BIG EAST finish was also Syracuse's fourth-best time of the season. Varela owns all four of those times.

Regionals Next on the Slate
The Orangemen and Orangewomen will take a weekend off from competition to prepare for the North East Regional Championship. The meet will be held at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, NY on Friday, Nov. 10.

Oct. 16, 2000

Orange Competes At Albany Invitational
The women's and men's cross country teams finished third and fourth, respectively, at the Albany Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 14. The Orangewomen were third of 11 teams after placing four runners in the top 20, while the Orangemen were fourth of 15 teams.

Bush Gets Top Billing
Senior Mickey Bush (Clifton Park, NY) was the Orangemen's top finisher, placing fifth with a time of 26:42. It was the first time this season that Bush led Syracuse, and his time was the ninth-fastest by an Orangemen runner this season. He owns three of the Orangemen's top 10 times in 2000.

Rich Paces Orangewomen
Freshman Lauren Rich (Londonderry, NH) placed eighth at the Albany Invitational with a Syracuse-best time of 20:07. It was the first time that Rich led Syracuse in a race this season, and was her second top-10 showing this year. Rich also has three of Syracuse's top 10 times of the 2000 campaign.

Oct. 9, 2000

Orange Competes at Paul Short Invitational
The Orangemen and Orangewomen traveled to Bethlehem, PA, on Saturday, October 7 to compete in the 27th Annual Paul Short Invitational. The Orangewomen finished 24th of 34 teams, while the Orangemen finished 24th of 36 teams.

Mberia Leads Orangemen
Senior Antony Mberia (Nairobi, Kenya) was the Orangemens top finisher for the second time in four races this season. Mberia finished 76th out of over 200 runners. His time of 26:01.95 is the Orangemens fastest time in 2000 by 20 seconds. Sophomore Matt Chaney (West Suffield, CT) previously held Syracuses fastest time, finishing the George Washington Invitational in 26:21.74.

Varela Continues Streak of Top Finishes
For the fourth time in as many races sophomore Maria Varela (Deer Park, NY) crossed the finish line first for the Orangewomen. Varela placed 40th out of 231 participants in a time of 22:18.92. It was the Orangewomens first 6K race of the season after three consecutive 5K runs.

Bush Runs Personal Best
Senior Mickey Bush (Clifton Park, NY) established a personal best, running the 8K race in 26:32.06. Bush lopped eight seconds off his previous best of 26:40.11 set earlier this season at the George Washington Invitational.

Oct. 2, 2000

Orangewomen Place Fourth at George Washington Invitational
Syracuse placed all six of its runners in the top 50 as the Orangewomen finished fourth out of 15 teams at the George Washington Invitational on September 29. Sophomore Maria Varela (Deer Park, NY) was the Orangewomen's top runner for the third consecutive race, finishing in 18:52.35. Varela finished 10th out of 97 runners. Graduate student Michelle LaPointe (Scotia, NY) was next on the Orangewomen, finishing 22nd overall with a time of 19:24.24.

Orangemen Finish Seventh at George Washington
Sophomore Matt Chaney's (West Suffield, CT) best time of the season propelled the Orangemen to a seventh-place finish at the 19-team George Washington Invitational on September 29. Chaney covered the eight-kilometer course in 26:21.74, the fastest time of any Syracuse runner this season. Chaney finished 26th overall. Antony Mberia (Nairobi, Kenya) was the Orangemen's second-best finisher with a time of 26:29.97, a season-best for the senior. He finished 30th in the 126-member field.

Six Runners Set Season Standards
A total of six Syracuse runners ran their fastest times of the year at the George Washington Invitational.The men's team was led by seniors Mickey Bush (Clifton Park, NY) and Antony Mberia (Nairobi, Kenya), and sophomore Matt Chaney (West Suffield, CT). Bush finished 37th in the race with a time of 26:40.11. Sophomores Aleccia Boland (London, Ontario) and Emilie Cole (Carlisle, PA), and graduate student Michelle LaPointe (Scotia, NY) established season-best times for the women. Boland finished 46th overall with a time of 20:15.09, while Cole was 29th with a time of 19:45.37.

Varela Showing Big Improvement
Sophomore Maria Varela (Deer Park, NY) has been the leader for the Orangewomen thus far in 2000. She has paced the Orangewomen in all three of their races this season, and has three top-10 finishes. Varela has run SU's three fastest times of the season, including a personal-best clocking of 18:40.35. She has broken the 19-minute mark in all of her races this season, shaving over a minute off her best time of 1999 (19:44).

Sophomore Transfer Helping Squad
Sophomore Matt Chaney (West Suffield, CT) has been a very helpful addition to the Orangemen this season. The transfer from the University of Hartford has been the Orangemen's top finisher in two of the three events this season, and boasts Syracuse's two fastest 8K times of 26:21.74 and 26:24.45.

Sept. 18, 2000

Orangemen Place Fifth at Home Meet
The men's cross country team finished fifth out of 10 teams this past weekend at the Third Annual Orange Classic held at Drumlins Country Club. Syracuse had four runners in the top 20, including two top 10 finishers. Albany won the event with 43 points, while the Orangemen had 87 points.

Mberia Back on Top
After finishing as the Orangemen's second-fastest runner at Bucknell, senior Antony Mberia (Nairobi, Kenya) was back as SU's top finisher at the Orange Classic. Mberia finished seventh overall, running a 26:37.4 over the eight-kilometer course. Mberia was Syracuse's top runner in every meet during the 1999 season.

Orangemen's Top Performers
Along with Mberia, three other Syracuse runners finished in the top 20. Sophomore Mathew Chaney (West Suffield, CT) was the 10th-place finisher with a time of 26:53.3. Chaney was Syracuse's top runner the previous week at Bucknell. Senior Mickey Bush (Clifton Park, NY) crossed the line in 19th-place with a time of 27:12.1, while sophomore Tom McCabe (West Suffield, CT) was just behind with a time of 27:15.1. Senior Brian New (Highlands Ranch, CO) was the Orangemen's other scoring runner, finishing 31st in a time of 27:46.4.

Women Take Third Place
The Orangewomen also ran at the Orange Classic, placing third in the nine-team field. The Orangewomen had three runners in the top 10 and four in the top 20. Albany took the team title with 52 points, including the overall winner. Syracuse finished the meet with 72 points.

Varela Takes Top Honors
Sophomore Maria Varela (Deer Park, NY) was the Orangewomen's top runner for the second consecutive meet, finishing third overall with a time of 18:51.52 over the five-kilometer course. She led Syracuse at Bucknell with a fifth-place finish.

The Orangewomen's Top Finishers
Freshman Lauren Rich (Londonderry, NH) was SU's second-best finisher for the second consecutive meet. Rich finished ninth overall with a time of 19:47.71. Sophomore Emilie Cole (Carlisle, PA) also posted a top-ten finish with a time of 19:48.47. Rookie Marygrace McHenry (Harleysville, PA) rounded out the Orangewomen's top 20 overall finishers with a time of 20:10.73, beating her previous time by 23 seconds.

Take Some Time Off
The Orangemen and Orangewomen will take the weekend off to get ready for the George Washington Invitational on Friday, September 29 in Centreville, VA. Syracuse then competes at the Paul Short Invitational in Lehigh, PA, and the Albany Invitational before taking another weekend off to prepare for the BIG EAST Championships on October 27.

Sept. 18, 2000

Sept. 11, 2000

Orangemen and Orangwomen Open Season
The Syracuse men's and women's cross country teams opened their 2000 seasons at the Bucknell Invitational. The men's squad went 0-3, falling to Bucknell, Rutgers and Manhattan, while the women were 0-2 against Bucknell and Manhattan.

Making an Impact
Sophomore transfer Mathew Chaney (West Suffield, CT) is already making his mark on the Syracuse cross country program. Chaney, who ran at the University of Hartford in 1999, was the Orangemen's top finisher at Bucknell. Chaney ran a time of 26:24.45, finishing 16th overall. Senior Antony Mberia (Nairobi, Kenya) finished 19th overall, and second among SU runners. Last season Mberia was the Orangmen's top runner at every meet.

Men Already Improving
In their first time out, three Orangmen runner have already improved on their best times from last season. Junior Tom McCabe (West Suffield, CT) showed the biggest improvement, shaving 1:06 off his best time of 1999. McCabe finished 28th at the Bucknell Invitational with a time of 26:54.10. His best time last season was 28:00.80 at the Orange Classic. Senior Mickey Bush (Clifton Park, NY) finished 25th with a time of 26:50.1, 42 seconds faster than his 1999 best set at Bucknell. Senior Brian New (Highlands Ranch, CO) shaved 11 seconds of his best time, finishing 35th with a time of 27:09.47.

Women's Squad Also On The Rise
Two runners on the women's team also improved on their best times of 1999. Sophomore Maria Varela (Deer Park, NY) made the biggest leap, taking 1:04 off her personal best. Varela finished fifth overall in a time of 18:40.35. Classmate Erica Johnston (Indianapolis, IN) finished 25th overall in the race, but managed to improve her personal best by 26 seconds, posting a 20:41.68 clocking.

Sept. 4, 2000

Harriers Set to Open Season
The Orangemen and Orangewomen cross country teams open their seasons on Saturday, September 9 at the Bucknell Invitational. The event is a quadrangular meet for the men with the Orangemen facing Rutgers, Manhattan and the host Bisons. The women's meet is a triangular event with Syracuse, Bucknell and Manhattan.

Seniors Expected to Carry the Load For Men's Squad
The Orangemen will have the luxury of three established seniors, Antony Mberia (Nairobi, Kenya), Brian New (Highlands Ranch, CO) and Mickey Bush (Clifton Park, NY). Mberia returns as the Orangemen's leader. He was the top Syracuse finisher in every race in 1999, including a season-best third-place outing at the Orange Classic. New and Bush also know what it will take for the Orangemen to improve. Bush was one of SU's top three finishers in five meets last year, posting a season-best time at the Bucknell Invitational. New, who battled injury problems for much of the 1999 season, was in the Orangemen's top three on three occasions.

Orangewomen Searching For Leader
While the men's team will be looking to an established leader, the Orangewomen must find a replacement for academic All-American Sarah Schmidt. Schmidt was SU's top runner at every meet in 1999, including a pair of wins (Bucknell Invitational and Orange Classic). Graduate student Michelle LaPointe (Scotia, NY) should impact the Orangewomen's success in her final season. LaPointe was consistently among SU's top finishers in 1999, including a fourth-place showing at the Orange Classic.

Other returning Orangewomen expected to make an impact are sophomores Maria Varela (Deer Park, NY), Aleccia Boland (London, Ontario), and Erica Johnston (Indianapolis, IN) .Boland was beset with injuries in 1999, limiting her effectiveness on the course.