Drayss, Dudar Claim SUNYAC Outdoor Track Titles

KINGSTON, NY — Andrea Drayss (Island Trees, NY) and Natasha Dudar (New Paltz, NY) claimed SUNYAC Championships Saturday at the 2002 SUNYAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by SUNY New Paltz at Dietz Stadium in Kingston. Drayss captured the shot put title breaking a seventeen-year-old SUNYAC record with a throw of 13.39 meters. With the historic throw, Drayss also became a provisional qualifier for the NCAAs. Dudar claimed the title in the women’s long jump. She was first after the preliminaries with a jump of 4.92m but increased her distance in the finals with a jump of 4.96m for the championship.

The newly crowned champions also placed well in other events during the day. Drayss placed 5th in the women’s javelin (26.19m), and Dudar was 4th in the triple jump (9.79m).

Sara Joki (Schuylerville, NY) and Rebecca Demeri (Wantagh, NY) also turned in impressive performances. Joki took 2nd in the women’s triple jump (10.35), and 7th in the women’s high jump (1.48m), while Demeri took 5th in the 1500m (5:07.98), and 7th in the 5000m (19:42.35).

The women’s team finished 7th overall with 37 points.

On the men’s side, the Hawks placed 7th as a team with 31 points. Phil Goodwin (Rochester, NY) placed 3rd in the men’s 1500m with a time of 4:00.33 and came in 4th in the 800m at 1:58.46. Adam Thyberg (Bluepoint, NY) was 3rd in the men’s pole vault clearing 4.25 meters and came in 5th in the men’s 400 meter hurdles (57.77). Josh Moore finished 3rd in the hammer throw at 41.40m and 7th in the men’s shot put with a throw of 11.21 meters. Justin Lee (East Fishkill, NY) came in 5th in the men’s 400m, and Chris Tuttle (Pouquag, NY) placed 6th in the men’s 10,000 meters (35:14.08).