BROCKPORT, N.Y. – The SUNY Cortland men's indoor track and field team finished in second place for the second straight year at the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) championship meet. The event was held for the first time at Brockport's new Special Events and Recreation Center.

Cortland finished with 146.5 points, only 6.5 points behind Oneonta's winning score of 153. Brockport placed third (91), followed by Buffalo State (78), Geneseo (76.5), Fredonia (48), Plattsburgh (17) and Oswego (13).

Seniors Tom Hopkins (Syracuse/West Genesee) and Eric Banks (Westbury) each won individual league titles. Hopkins captured the 5,000-meter run in 15:06.29 and Banks repeated as the 400-meter dash champion in 49.60 seconds. Banks was also sixth in the 200-meter dash (22.69). The distance medley relay team of senior Pat Fannon (West Islip), freshman Jerel Williams (East Islip), freshman Julio Melendez (Valley Cottage/Nyack) and junior Cody Amengual (West Babylon) set a new meet record with their winning time of 10:20.18.

Fannon placed second in the mile (4:15.37) and junior P.J. Flynn (Valhalla) was second in the triple jump (14.29 meters – 46' 10.75”). Junior Stephan Linton (Roosevelt) finished second in the 400-meter dash (50.06) and fifth in the 200-meter dash (22.58), while sophomore Connor Ten Eyck (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) ended second in the pole vault at 4.55 meters (14' 11”).

The individual league champions earn first-team All-SUNYAC honors, while individual runners-up are recognized as second-team all-conference.

The 4x400-meter relay team of sophomore Eric Wong (Massapequa Park/Massapequa), freshman Sean Swartwood (Waverly), freshman Keewan Rondinello (Liverpool) and senior Andrew Greenberg (Suffern) finished in second place with a time of 3:24.03.

Junior Melique Garcia (Watervliet) finished third in the 60-meter dash (6.98) and seventh in the 200-meter dash (22.71). Amengual was third in the mile (4:16.20) and senior Rob Brower (Massapequa) finished third in the pole vault at 4.55 meters (14' 11”), the same height as Ten Eyck but with more misses. Junior Tim Lee (West Babylon) finished third in the 5,000 meters (15:15.12) and freshman Andre Green (Philadelphia/Indian River) was third in the long jump (7.11 meters – 23' 4”).

Sophomore Neil Yodice (East Northport/Northport) finished fourth in the 400 meters (50.32) and junior Ryan Perry (Buffalo/Williamsville North) placed fourth in the 3,000 meters (8:45.57). Senior Shawn Wilson (Seneca Falls/Mynderse Academy) finished fifth in both the shot put at 14.22 meters (46' 8”) and the weight throw at 15.35 meters (50' 4.5”).

Junior Tom Calandra (Amherst/Williamsville North) and junior Besnik Palushi (Pine Plains/Stissing Mountain) were two of Cortland's four scorers in the pole vault along with Ten Eyck and Brower. Calandra finished fifth at 4.25 meters (13' 11.25”) and Palushi tied for seventh at 4.10 meters (13' 5.25”).

Sophomore Nick Avossa (Kingston) finished sixth in the 60-meter hurdles (8.68, 8.62 prelims) and sophomore Jarred Iacovelli (Manahawkin, NJ/Southern Regional) was sixth in the 5,000 meters (15:27.55). Senior Erik LeRoy (Kings Park) placed sixth in the long jump (6.75 meters – 22' 1.75”), junior Tyler Prendergast (Waterford/Shenendehowa) was sixth in the weight throw (15.24 meters – 50' 0”) and Williams finished seventh in the 400 meters (50.74).

Cortland will compete at the ECAC Div. III Indoor Championships on Friday and Saturday, March 1-2, at the New Balance Track and Field Center at the Armory in New York City. The Red Dragons' ECAC qualifiers during the SUNYAC Championships were: Hopkins in the 5,000 meters; Banks in the 400 meters and 200 meters; Fannon in the mile; Linton in the 400 meters and 200 meters; Ten Eyck in the pole vault; Flynn in the triple jump; Garcia in the 60-meter dash and 200 meters; Lee in the 5,000 meters; Amengual in the mile; Brower in the pole vault; Green in the long jump; Yodice in the 400 meters; Perry in the 3,000 meters; Wilson in the weight throw; Avossa in the 60-meter hurdles; LeRoy in the long jump; and Williams in the 400 meters. Both relays were also ECAC qualifiers.

Complete Results