CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Cortland women's outdoor track and field team earned seven victories and nine AARTFC qualifying performances at the Cortland Classic, hosted by the Red Dragons Friday and Saturday.
 
Autumn Pittman (Spring Valley/Ramapo) won both the 100-meter dash (AARTFC-qualifying 11.99 seconds) and the 200-meter dash (25.88) and anchored the winning 4x100-meter relay (AARTFC-qualifying 48.17 seconds) that also included Kendall Sobczyk (Wheatfield/Niagara Wheatfield), Alexia Prince (Spring Valley/Clement Howell) and Avery Hebert (Stillwater). Melissa Innocent (Elmont/Valley Stream North) finished first of 19 in the 5,000 meters in 18:00.15 and Hannah McMasters (Homer) was fifth in the hammer throw at 47.39 meters (155' 5"), both AARTFC marks.
 
Danielle Fisk (Honeoye Falls/Honeoye Falls-Lima) won the heptathlon in a field of 13 competitors with a score of 4,415 points that ranks 17th nationally in Division III as of Sunday evening and is an AARTFC mark. AnJalyna Talmadge (Pine Bush) placed second with 3,806 points, also an AARTFC mark. Fisk won five events - the 100-meter hurdles (14.60, AARTFC), the high jump (1.60 meters/5' 3", AARTFC), the long jump (5.18 meters/17' 0"), the javelin (29.61 meters/97' 1") and the 800 meters (2:40.90). Talmadge was second in the 100-meter hurdles (15.59, AARTFC) and the shot put (10.29 meters/33' 9.25").
 
The 4x400-meter relay team of Yasmine Peralta (Monroe/Monroe-Woodbury), Matty Lucey (Freeville/Groton), Maris Seabury (Old Chatham/Ichabod Crane) and Hebert finished first in 4:11.30. Hebert also placed second of 22 in the 400-meter dash (1:00.23) and was third in the 200-meter dash (26.96). Regan Kaiser (Queensbury/Glens Falls) won the high jump by clearing 1.54 meters (5' 0.5").
 
Alexa Wolcott (Wyoming/Pavilion) and Emma Trefzger (Horseheads) finished second (18:13.04) and third (19:01.82), respectively, in the 5,000 meters. Sydney Smith (Greenville) placed third of 36 in the 1,500 meters (4:58.12). Faith Nelson (Rensselaer/Columbia) was third in the 400-meter dash (1:00.62), Sobczyk finished third in the 100-meter dash (12.73, 12.71 prelims), Reilly Quinn (Beekmantown) was third in the high jump (1.51 meters/4' 11.5"), and Peralta placed third in the 400-meter hurdles (1:09.37).

Coach's Corner - Comments from Cortland Head Coach Steve Patrick:
 
First and foremost, I'd like to thank the friends and family that made the trip to support especially on this weekend! After the meet we were able to have our dessert reception/senior recognition and having family and friends there was tremendous! The senior recognition is always bittersweet for me for as much as I'm thrilled for the direction these folks are taking, we're sad to see them leaving us.

We also had the pleasure of a number of alumni around for the weekend, including even a couple of competitors, as well as Olympian Michelle Rohl competing in the 10,000 on Friday night!
 
We definitely had a successful meet in terms of efforts and performances. While our weather was once again far from ideal, you could see that after the previous weekend, less than ideal wasn't going to stop these Red Dragons! Because we had so many exceptional performances, it is hard to highlight standouts, as the bar is so high (which is a great track and field pun)!
 
Faith Nelson had one of the strongest days for the women's program, with big PRs in both the 100 and the 400. We hold high expectations for our team, so any time we are surprised by a breakthrough it really says something, and Faith's 400 was a little surprising, and is a credit to the work she has been putting in. Hannah McMasters had a very strong day in the throws, with excellent marks being posted in all three of her events. It's a challenge to have the focus and determination to be 'on' in one event, but to have to summon that three times over a weekend is pretty remarkable. Back to the track, Melissa Innocent nearly cracking the 18-minute barrier in the 5000 (thanks to a great pacemaking by teammate Devin Reilly), and Sydney Smith with a double PR weekend – especially after nearly losing her shoe in the 1500 – were both pretty exceptional.
 
For the men's squad, Aaron Jones had an exceptional day with a PR in the high hurdles and a very nearly a lifetime best in the 200 which was run into a cold, stiff headwind. It's really exciting for him to see that level of performance for this time of year! Firstyear Evan Collette threw PRs in two events and was near a PR in his third which showed a lot of great progress through his first campaign. Finally, I'd like to highlight Austin Garske for a big season's best in the 400 hurdles.

We have our small final 'regular season' home meet this Tuesday, and will split the squad between Shippensburg's Paul Kaiser Classic on Saturday and visiting Cornell University on Sunday; the following week will be the SUNYAC Championships!