Bronx, NY

"It 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 went hoping for a plaque [fourth place or better], and by the second day, we were in reach of first place."

The Lehman team was led by two 2002 All-Americans, senior Paulette Baldwin (Trenton, NJ) and sophomore Alecia Watson (Bronx, NY), who scored 16 and 14 points, respectively, before combining with freshmen Michelle Barnwell (Brooklyn, NY) and Livangah Pitts (Bronx, NY) for a second place finish (3:51.04) in the aforementioned 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 product 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's a two-time All-American after finishing third in the 400 meter dash (56.52) and as a member of the 4x400m relay.

Lehman sophomore Martinia Heath (Beacon, NY) was also outstanding in the long jump, earning fifth in the nation at 5.62 meters. The 6'0" transfer this fall from Cortland State, also placed 10th in the high jump with a leap of 1.61 meters.

Running in the same qualifying heat as Lehman, York's 4x400 meter relay team of Kenya Benjamin, Tolulope Ojo (Queens Village, NY), Shakima Thomas and Daphine Wilson qualified for the final, where their time of 3:55.74 slotted seventh, earning the quartet the title of All-American. It marked the second straight year that Thomas (Far Rockaway, NY) and Wilson (Brooklyn, NY) would earn the honor after a fifth place performance in the same event last year. But it was not the only event for Benjamin (Richmond Hill, NY), the 2002 CUNYAC Cross Country champion, who won the ECAC title in the 800 meters a week earlier. The freshman standout finished fifth in the 800 (2:15.97) for her first individual NCAA award.

"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 City University 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 six CUNYAC track programs, the Lightning and the Cardinals will now turn their attention outdoors, preparing for the CUNYAC Championships (at York College in Jamaica, NY) on Sunday, May 4th, with an eye on the NCAA Championships two weeks later at St. Lawrence, NY (Canton, NY).