The New Paltz men’s and women’s cross country teams marched into Vassar College’s brand new Track & Field facility and set the house on fire at the first annual Matthew Vassar Track & Field Invitational on Saturday May 2nd.
Sophomore Lisa Cassaro set the ball in motion in the opening event – the women’s 1500 meter run – she dominated the field in a meet and track record of 5:10. Lisa shaved 5 seconds off her previous week’s best time and was the first of the day to run under the women’s 1500 meter qualifying standard (5:12.82) for the SUNYAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Lisa held off repeated passing attempts by Vassar runners, pulling away with a dominant kick in the final 300 meters. Lori Brown a member of the New Paltz swim team and a stellar runner in her own right pushed home for third with a season best performance of 5:15 knocking 4 seconds off her previous best. Lisa and Lori were followed in by teamates Stephanie Albinski (5:31) and Rebecca Shuriff (5:37) both personal and season best marks
Not to be out done by the lady Hawks, soccer convert, Joe Gentsch set out to do the same in a blistering men’s 1500 meter run. Joe came into the race having set his personal best two weeks prior at the New York Relays in a time of 4:16 seconds. That time roughly converts to a 4:34 mile. Coming into the race Joe knew he would have his hands full with a Vassar runner who had posted a time of 4:09 and a Vassar Alum and Nike Central Park TC elite runner who came up from NYC to help set a fast pace. Undaunted, Joe latched on to the lead group and as planned paced through the 800 meter mark in 2:12. Having shed the rest of the field the two Vassar runners furiously pressed the pace but were unable to dislodge Gentsch from the group. As the three men sped through the 1000 meter mark the first Vassar runner cracked and fell off the pace leaving Joe hot on the heals of the surging Nike CPTC/Vassar Alum. As the two men rounded the final turn for the home stretch Gentsch dug deep for one final burst and powered past his rival finishing in an amazing 4:08. Joe’s time set a meet and track record and also met the qualifying standard (5:10) to compete in the SUNYAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Joe was followed by Dan Caruso with a season and personal best time of 4:35 seconds, Robert Webster with a personal best and season best of 4:40 and cross country newcomer Ben Hellman 4:49 seconds.
The next event was the men’s 3000 meter steeple chase which for those of you that are unfamiliar with is a seven and a half lap circuit run around the track requiring the contestants to hurdle multiple immovable heavy wooden barriers one of which is followed by water obstacle. Sophomores Nick Avello and Rob Grazier challenged two Vassar runners of comparable ability. The race broke open midway as Avello and the lead Vassar runner separated themselves from the group but with less then two laps to go the Vassar runner opened up a ten yard lead that Avello was unable to bridge.
Nick finished in second place with a personal best time of 10:21 seconds. His mark would have qualified him to compete in the SUNYAC Outdoor Track & Field Championship. Rob finished with a personal best of three seconds from last season.
The final race was the womens 3000 meter run. Freshman standout Danielle Harmon was the sole competitor for New Paltz in this eight person field. Danielle set the lead pace from the gun, leading the Vassar runners through even quarter mile splits of 90 seconds for the first five laps. With two and half laps to go two of the Vassar runners took over the pace work and Danielle was unable to hold on. Danielle finished in third place with a season best of 11:20. This time would have qualified her for the Indoor SUNYAC Track & Field Championships.
This meet wrapped up what has been an incredibly successful outdoor winter/spring campaign for the New Paltz Harriers. During the course of their abbreviated three meet schedule, five New Paltz athletes have qualified for either the indoor or outdoor SUNYAC Track & Field Championships. Below is a list of those athletes and the qualifying events.
Nick Avello 3000 Meter Steeple Chase
Joe Gentsch 1500 meter run
Lisa Cassaro 1500 & 3000 meter runs
Danielle Harmon 3000 meter run
Lori Brown 3000 meter run
