UAlbany Announces 32 Track & Field/Cross Country Additions For 2013-2014

ALBANY, N.Y. – University at Albany Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Roberto Vives announced on Monday, August 26 that 32 student-athletes will be joining the Great Danes’ program for the 2013-14 academic year.  Ten women and 22 men will join the top squad in the America East, including nine transfer students and four Capital Region natives.

“The incoming group of student-athletes is very talented, and I am sure they will help us achieve our goal of being a top-25 team nationally,” said Vives.

The Great Danes welcome home two former Capital Region stars in transfers Kyle Plante (Colonie Central/University of South Florida) and Molly Pezzulo (Saratoga Springs/Auburn University).  Plante is a former high school national champion in the 200-meter dash whose all-around talent will improve the sprints, hurdles, and jumps.  On the track, Plante has personal best marks of 23.98 (200m), 38.23 (300m), 53.32 (400m), 8.12 (55HH), and 59.76 (400IH).  Plante adds personal bests of 5’6” (HJ), 18’1.75” (LJ), and 3,603 points (Pentathlon) in field events.  Pezzulo’s personal bests of 4:39.13 (1,500m), 5:03.99 (1-mile), 9:56.13 (3,000m), and 22:32.20 (6K-XC) will add to an already deep distance squad.

Jessica Donohue (North Shore) leads the Danes’ freshman class with bests of 9:59.85 (3,000m), 10:53.53 (2-mile), 17:28.08 (5,000m), and 18:20.40 (5K-XC).  Johanna Smith (Fayetteville-Manlius) joins Donohue on the distance squad, bringing with her a personal best of 18:39.00 (5K-XC).  Finally, UAlbany adds more local talent in Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake stars Schuyler Pruyn (18:14.38 – XC) and Sheila Bashant (18:45.12 – XC).

On the sprint side, Gabby Maldonado (Sleepy Hollow) brings additional depth to the flat sprints with personal bests of 25.00 (200m), 40.75 (300m), and 56.52 (400m), while Cienna Simon (Jamestown) brings added depth to the hurdles, having posted personal best of 8.55 (55HH) and 9.19 (60HH).  Multis athletes Nailah Braxton (Bay Shore) (3,084 – Pentathlon, 5’6.5” – HJ) and Mary Adeyeye (Lakeland) (2,791 – Pentathlon, 8.76 – 55HH) round out the women’s newcomers. 

Not to be outdone, the men’s squad adds 22 members to the reigning America East Championship squad.  Leading this strong group are Youssef Benzamia (Lycee Thierry Maulner, Nice, France), Nathan Hiett (Basha HS, Arizona), and Larry Ramirez (Pleasantville HS, NJ/Hampton University).  Benzamia is a former French Junior National Champion in the high jump with a best mark of 7’1”.  He also has performances of 23’10.75” (LJ) and 47’3” (TJ).  Hiett has a personal best mark of 16’ 6” in the pole vault and Ramirez has top times of 1:51.01 (800m) and 53.21 (400IH).

The sprinting squad welcomes two transfer students from St. Thomas Aquinas.  Andy Nicolas (Midwood), who has personal bests of 6.60 (55m), 21.76 (200m), 34.23 (300m), and 48.63 (400m), and Jason Tomlinson (Harry S. Truman), whose bests include 22.00 (200m), 34.59 (300m), and 48.61 (400m), will help bolster the Danes’ short and long sprint events.  They are joined by transfer Jaymen Teemer (Long Beach/Monroe College), who brings bests of 7.04 (60m) and 10.89 (100m).  Additionally, Joshua Wray (Rush-Henrietta) joins the squad with bests of 22.17 (200m), 35.32 (300m), and 49.08 (400m), as well as CHSAA 100m champion Robert Harris III (Cardinal Hayes) (11.01), and 100m sprinter Mailk Murray (Schenectady) (11.08).

The jumping squad adds two more transfer students. Michael Hall Jr. (Harry S. Truman/American International College) leads the way with bests of 6’6” (HJ), 23’11” (LJ), and 45’0.75” (TJ).  He is joined by pole vaulter and Donald DiBari (North Rockland/City College of New York) with a personal best of 14’.  Finally, incoming freshman Stefan Buechele (Arlington) (15’- PV), Kingsley Ogbonna (Walter Panas) (6’8”- HJ), Justyce Pollitt (St. Augustine Prep, NJ) (22’9.5”- LJ), and Philip Blanda (St. Joseph by the Sea) (22’2.75”- LJ) round out the jumpers.

On the throwing side, UAlbany welcomes javelin throwers Phillip Udeogu (Seton Hall Prep, NJ) (184’9), and Anthony D’Angelo (Shelton, CT) (171’4”), in addition to shot putter Eric Del Vescovo (Ridgefield, NJ) (54’9”). 

Mid-Distance/Distance runners Chad Barker (Elmont Memorial) (1:22.82 – 600m), Connor Farrell (Fayetteville-Manlius) (2:31.45 – 1,000m), Patrick Rowan (St. John the Baptist) (1:56.97 – 800m) and transfer Peter Schweitzer (Arlington/SUNY Delhi) (16:23.16 – 5K XC), round out the men’s recruits.

“We are looking forward to seeing this recruiting class in action,” Vives said. “This group is definitely going to turn some heads.”

2013-2014 University at Albany Women’s Track & Field

Name	Event	Hometown (High School/Previous College)
Mary Adeyeye	Multis	Mohegan Lake, N.Y. (Lakeland)
Sheila Bashant	Distance	Ballston Lake, N.Y. (Ballston Lake-Burnt Hills)
Nailah Braxton	Multis/High Jump	Bay Shore, N.Y. (Bay Shore)
Jessica Donohue	Distance	Glen Head, N.Y. (North Shore)
Gabrielle Maldonado	Sprints	Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. (Sleepy Hollow)
Molly Pezzulo	Distance	Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (Saratoga Springs /Auburn University)
Kyle Plante	Sprints/Hurdles/Jumps	Albany, N.Y. (Colonie Central /University of South Florida)
Schuyler Pruyn	Distance	Rexford, N.Y. (Ballston Lake-Burnt Hills)
Cienna (CC) Simon	Hurdles	Jamestown, N.Y. (Jamestown)
Johanna (Hannah) Smith	Distance	Manlius, N.Y. (Fayetteville-Manlius)

2013-14 University at Albany Men’s Track & Field

Name	Event	Hometown (High School)
Chad Barker	Mid-Distance	Elmont, N.Y. (Elmont Memorial)
Youssef Benzamia	Jumps	Nice, France (Lycee Thierry Maulner)
Philip Blanda	Long Jump	St. Joseph by the Sea, N.Y. (Staten Island)
Stefan Buechele	Multis/Pole Vault	Pleasant Valley, N.Y. (Arlington)
Anthony D’Angelo	Javelin	Shelton, Conn. (Shelton)
Eric Del Vescovo	Throws	Ridgefield Park, N.J. (Ridgefield Park)
Donald DiBari	Mulits/Pole Vault	Thiells, N.Y. (North Rockland HS/CCNY)
Connor Farrell	Mid-Distance	Fayetteville, N.Y. (Fayetteville-Manlius)
Michael Hall Jr.	Jumps	Bronx, N.Y. (Harry S. Truman HS/American International College)
Robert Harris III	Sprints	Bronx, N.Y. (Cardinal Hayes)
Nathan Hiett	Pole Vault	Chandler, Ariz. (Basha)
Andy Nicolas	Sprints	Brooklyn, N.Y. (Midwood/St. Thomas Aquinas College)
Malik Murray	Sprints	Schenectady, N.Y. (Schenectady)
Kingsley Ogbonna	High Jump	Cortlandt Manor, N.Y. (Walter Panas)
Justyce Pollitt	Long Jump	Richland, N.J. (Saint Augustine)
Larry Ramirez	Mid-Distance/Hurdles	Pleasantville, N.J. (Pleasantville/Hampton University)
Patrick Rowan	Mid-Distance	West Islip, N.Y. (St. John the Baptist)
Peter Schweitzer	Distance	Poughquag, NY (Arlington HS/SUNY Delhi)
Jaymen Teemer	Sprints	Long Beach, N.Y. (Long Beach/Monroe College)
Jason Tomlinson	Sprints	Bronx, N.Y. (Harry S. Truman/St. Thomas Aquinas College)
Phillip Udeogu	Javelin	Orange, N.J. (Seton Hall Prep)
Joshua Wray	Sprints	West Henrietta, N.Y. (Rush-Henrietta)