2003-2004 CUNYAC Indoor Track & Field Championships

Hunter Takes Men's Crown; Tsakpoe Named MVP

Washington Heights, NY - The Hunter Hawks won their second consecutive CUNY Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championship on Saturday evening at the 168th Street Armory. It was Hunter’s sixth title in the past nine years. Hunter finished with 121 points and were followed by Medgar Evers (77 points), Lehman (43 points), and City Tech (26 points).

"Winning a championship is always very gratifying,” said Hunter head coach Ed Zarowin. "We are very young and have a promising future.”

Hunter's Edem Tsakpoe (Akosombo/Akosombo, Ghana) was named the Most Valuable Performer of the meet after taking home four medals. Tsakpoe earned a gold medal in the long jump (6.24 meters) and added a silver in the triple jump (13.23 meters) and the high jump (1.78 meters). The sophomore also added a fourth place performance in the weight throw.

"I'm very happy for Edem as he is a terrific all-around person,” Zarowin said. "I only wish that I had more time to work with him. In addition to his studies, he works on campus and can only practice about an hour a day.”

Another Hawk, sophomore Omri Holzman (Ironi Daled/Tel-Aviv, Israel) won a pair of gold medals in the 1500 meters (4:15.00) and 5000 meters (15:50.00) and was a member of the first-place distance medley relay team (11:46.23). Teammate Peter Zaccariello (Monsignor Farrell/Staten Island, NY) added a first-place performance in the 800 meters, setting a new conference record with a time of 1:57.00. He also added a third-place performance in the 1500 meters. Both Holzman and Zaccariello also earned gold medals in the 4x400 meter relay. "We knew that Edem and Omri would do well, but the sleeper for us today was Zaccariello. "He really pushed us over the top, said Zarowin.”

Lehman freshman Marvin Rainford (Columbus/Bronx, NY) captured a pair of gold medals for the Lightning. The freshman won the 200 meters (22.45) as well as the 400 meters (50:27).

Medgar Evers, the runner-up, received first-place performances by freshman Dwight Williams (St. Jago/Brooklyn, NY) and sophomore Carl Thompson (St. Jago/Brooklyn, NY). Williams won the 55 meters (6.62) and Thompson added a gold in the high jump (1.83 meters).

Freshman Carl Sneed (Brooklyn, NY) and senior Dexter Wilson (Transit Tech/Brooklyn, NY) of City College each won a gold medal for the Beavers. Sneed captured the 55 meter hurdles (9.54) and Wilson won the shot put (12.46 meters).

York freshman Donnell Hickson (Lawrence/Long Island, NY) won the triple jump with an effort of 13.40 meters. The Cardinals 4x400 meter relay team (Hickson, Michael Brown, Pernell Duncan, Germaine Shephard) won the event in 3:27.55.

Complete Men's Team Scoring: Hunter 121, Medgar Evers 77, Lehman 43, City Tech 26: CCNY, York, Bronx, Kingsborough, Queensborough - no team scores.

Complete Results

Medgar Evers Captures First Track & Field Championship;
Lehman's Spaulding Named MVP

Washington Heights, NY - Medgar Evers captured their first CUNY Athletic Conference Track & Field Championship on Saturday evening at the 168th Street Armory. Medgar (131 points) edged Hunter (122 points) and Lehman (110 points).

"This is very exciting,” said Medgar Evers head coach Alphonso Dance. "We worked very hard and considering that this team is so young, it's a great accomplishment. I knew coming in that we had the potential to finish in the top two and if we gave a little extra, then we would have a shot at the title. I'm very proud of them.”

Medgar Evers freshman Maurissa Eastmon (Marabelle Senior/Brooklyn, NY) won the 400 meters in 1:00.50 and sophomore Amanda David (Brooklyn, NY) captured the shot put (11.94 meters). Sophomore Angela Solomon (Brooklyn, NY) and classmate Vanessa Pean (Norman Thomas/Brooklyn, NY) took second and third respectively in the 200 meters. Pean also took a silver medal in the 55 meters (7.50). The Cougars 4x400 meter relay (Pean, Eastmon, Solomon, Sherryly Sylvan) captured firstplace with a time of 4:13.50.

Lehman freshman Latoya Spaulding (Mt. Vernon/Mt. Vernon, NY) was named the Most Valuable Performer of the Meet after taking home four individual medals. Spaulding captured the gold medal in the 55 meter hurdles (8.74), triple jump (11.02 meters), high jump (1.52 meters), and was also the runner-up in the long jump (5.15 meters).

"Latoya is a freshman with a lot of potential,” said Lehman head coach Lesleigh Hogg. "We expect big things from her and she has stepped up earlier than we expected. I'm really happy about her performances tonight.”

Sophomore Tolulope Ojo (Campus Magnet/Queens, NY) of York went home with a pair of gold medals. She won the 1500 meters in 5:00.51 and added the 800 meter title in 2:28.20.

Hunter senior Tiffanie Clarke (Erasmus/Staten Island, NY) established a new conference standard in the 200 meters with a time of 25.89. She also added a gold in the 55 meter dash (7.17). Lehman senior thrower Danielle Howard (Aquinas/Bronx, NY) also set a new CUNYAC mark in the weight throw with an effort of 13.80 meters.

Hunter's distance medley relay team (Jen Zaccariello (Monsignor Farrell/Staten Island, NY), Cinzia Clementi (Newtown/Fresh Meadows, NY), Ann-Marie Guerra (Roosevelt/Brooklyn, NY), Wendy Samuel (Health Professions/Bronx, NY)) captured the event in 14:48.02. Zaccariello also captured the 3000 meters in 11:45.10.

Lehman's Shelly-Ann Finnigen (Evander Childs/Bronx, NY), a sophomore, won the long jump with an effort of 5.44 meters.

Complete Women's Team Scoring:Medgar Evers 131, Hunter 122, Lehman 110: CCNY, City Tech, York, Bronx, Kingsborough, Queensborough - no team scores.

Complete Results