Entered in 11 events, five Lehman women earned a CUNYAC record 10 All-American honors in seven individual events and the 4 x 400 meter relay “This is a huge accomplishment for a commuter school from the Bronx without a track, to finish second in the Nation," said Lehman head coach Lesleigh Hogg, now in his sixth season. "I am thrilled that all five women who went had quality performances and remained focused as a group to exceed our goals. We were aiming for fourth place or better, and by the second day we were in reach of first." The Lehman team was led by two 2002 All-Americans, senior Paulette Baldwin and sophomore Alecia Watson, both of the Bronx, who scored 16 and 14 points, respectively, before combining with freshmen Michelle Barnwell of Brooklyn and Livangah Pitts of Bronx for a second place finish (3:51.04) in the relay. Baldwin, a four-time All-American and the NCAA defending champion in the 55-meter hurdles, took home second place in that event with a 8.06 finals time. Preceding the silver medal performance in the hurdles, the 2002 and 2003 CUNYAC Championship Most Valuable Performer earned another second place in the long jump, an event she consistently placed first in all season, with a leap of 5.73 meters. Watson, a 5' 11" graduate of Evander Childs High School, peaked
at the right time in her two individual events, placing second in the triple
jump with a mark of 12.36 meters, which is nearly half-a-meter more than
her previous best earned in the NCAA Championships last season. Prior to
that, she slotted third in the 55-meter dash final in a blazing 7.13 seconds.
Baldwin, the CUNYAC Champion in the event two weeks earlier and Barnwell,
each missed out on the final by less than 1/10 of a second.
"The remarkable thing is that Alecia is just now working enough on the triple jump with [assistant coaches] Lindon George and Kirk Roberts," continued Hogg. "She is the epitome of concentration and focus. The future for Alecia is unlimited." Barnwell, who batted .313 as a member of the Lightning softball team last spring, never ran track before six months ago. Now, she is a two-time All-American after finishing third in the 400 meter dash (56.52) and as a member of the 4 x 400m relay. Lehman sophomore Martinia Heath of Beacon, New York, was also outstanding
in the long jump, earning fifth in the nation at 5.62 meters. The 6' transfer
from Cortland State also placed 10th in the high jump with a leap of 1.61
meters.
"This is an outstanding day for Lehman College, the track team, the athletic department and the City University of New York," said Lehman Athletic Director Dr. Martin L. Zwiren. "Lesleigh and his assistants do an outstanding job recruiting and retaining national-caliber athletes. For a CUNY school to beat about 50 other institutions with more resources is something I never thought we would be able to achieve." Along with the other CUNYAC track programs, Lehman runners will now turn
their attention outdoors, preparing for the CUNYAC Championships at York
College on Sunday, May 4, with an eye on the NCAA Championships two weeks
later at St. Lawrence College in Canton, New York.   |
n Lehman College’s second appearance in as many years at the NCAA
Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships, the women's team captured
second place, finishing with 48 points, only six points behind the national
champion, Wheaton College (Mass.) over the weekend at DePauw University
in Greencastle, Indiana. 
