Track and Field Completes Top 10 Finishes at National Tournament
Troy, N.Y. - The Finger Lakes Community College men's and women's track and field teams traveled to Hudson Valley Community College from May 12th through the 14th to compete in various events that the Lakers qualified in. Both teams impressed in the meet, breaking several records in the process.
Student-athlete Leah Lloyd helped lead the women's team with a stellar showing. Lloyd would become the first national champion for the women's team since the 2008 season when Emily Enright (1500m) won her first championship, and Jessie Marianacci completed back-to-back national championships in the high jump.
Lloyd earned First Team All-American honors in the process, after finish 1st in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 12:09.88. Lloyd would follow up the win with several top-3 finishes. Lloyd would place 3rd in the 800m (2:33.39), 2nd in the 5000m (20:54.23), 2nd in the 1500m (4:59.04), and 3rd in the 4x400 meter relay with teammates Elizabeth Rose, Chyra Patterson, and Ericka Moody; all of whom would receive All-American Honorable Mentions.
Rose would add to the Lakers point total as a team with a 6th place finish in the 800m (2:35.63). Moody would compete in the 200m, placing 2nd (27.79), along with a 4th place finish in the 400m with a time of 1:03.77. Teammate Morgan Collazo would compete in the field events of shot put, and discuss throw, placing 7th in shot put (10.03m) and 11th in the discus throw (26.90m). In the end, the women's team would earn a 6th place finish in the NJCAA Division III National Championship.
On the men's side, Memphis Lohnes would earn the highest finish for a Lakers, picking up Second Team All-American honors in the pole vault. Lohnes would earn a 2nd place finish with a mark of 3.93m. Teammate John Zimmerman would pick up an All-American Honorable Mention thanks to a 3rd place finish in the 3000m steeplechase (10:21.83). Freshman Hunter Zangerle would be named an All-American Honorable Mention as well in the long jump, finishing 3rd with a mark of 6.31m. Zangerle would pick up a 5th place finish in the triple jump with a mark of 12.80m to round out his day.
Zangerle and Zimmerman would join teammates Kyle Green, and Giovanni Ventura in the 4x800 meter relay, completing a 4th place finish with a time of 8:25.90. Ventura would compete in two more events, including the 800m, where he would finish 6th with a time of 2:02.93, to go along with a 7th place finish in the 5000m, with a time of 16:34.20. Cameron Rynders would compete in the long jump and the triple jump, with a 9th place finish in the long jump (5.87m), and a 7th place finish in the triple jump (12.87m).
In all the Lakers would compete in 17 events over the 3 day event, with 7 student-athletes earning 8 All-American accolades.
The Lakers finishes would earn them a 7th place finish as a team for the men and a 6th place finish for the women to round out a historic regular season, in which first-year head coach James Bathgate would also pick up Head Coach of the Year, East Region honors. The Lakers teams will look to build on their successful season going into the following Spring with an influx of Freshman, along with returning Sophomores.
*Photo credit - NJCAA*
Full Results
Women
400m
Ericka Moody, 4th place (1:03.77)
200m
Ericka Moody, 5th place (27.48)
800m
Leah Lloyd, 3rd place (2:33.39), Elizabeth Rose, 8th place (2:37.77)
5000m
Leah Lloyd, 2nd place (20:54.23)
3000m Steeplechase
Leah Lloyd, 1st place (12:09.88)
4x400 Meter Relay
Elizabeth Rose, Chyra Patterson, Leah Lloyd, and Ericka Moody (4:35.47)
Shot Put
Morgan Collazo, 7th place (10.03m)
Discus Throw
Morgan Collazo, 11th place (26.90m)
Men
800m
Giovanni Ventura, 6th place (2:02.93)
5000m
Giovanni Ventura, 7th place (16:34.20)
3000m Steeplechase
John Zimmerman, 3rd place (10:21.83)
Long Jump
Hunter Zangerle, 3rd place (6.31m), and Cameron Rynders, 9th place (5.87m)
4x800 Meter Relay
Kyle Green, Hunter Zangerle, John Zimmerman, and Giovanni Ventura, 4th place (8:25.90)
Pole Vault
Memphis Lohnes, 2nd place (3.93m)
Triple Jump
Hunter Zangerle, 5th place (12.80m), and Cameron Rynders, 7th place (12.62m)
Javelin Throw
Dillian Hernandez, 5th place (44.08m)