Ithaca Seeks Sixth Empire 8 Women's Indoor Track and Field Title
January 28, 2010
ROCHESTER, NY – Ithaca College, which has won five of six conference championships, seeks its third consecutive title at the 2010 Empire 8 Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championship on Sunday at Rochester Institute of Technology.
Junior Marcia McCord of the Bombers earned Empire 8 Track Athlete of the Meet and Track Athlete of the Year awards last season. She has swept the 55-meter dash, triple jump, and 200-meter dash in each of her first two conference indoor championships. McCord, a two-time Athlete of the Week this season, broke her own Empire 8 records in the 55 meters and triple jump in last year’s meet.
Sophomore Emma Dewart of Ithaca was named Empire 8 Field Athlete of the Year and Rookie of the Year last season after placing sixth in the pentathlon at the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships. She earned Athlete of the Week accolades on Monday after provisionally qualifying for the national championship.
Senior Samantha Mitchell of RIT was named Athlete of the Week earlier this season when she qualified for the ECAC Championships in the 55- and 200-meter dashes. She has finished second to McCord in both events in each of the past two indoor conference championships. Mitchell ran on the Tigers’ winning 800-meter relay team at St. Lawrence this past weekend. Senior Jamie Morey, the 2008 Empire 8 Field Athlete of the Meet, has won the weight throw in each of the past two indoor championships and took first place in the event at the RIT Invitational this season.
Salme Cook became the first Stevens Institute of Technology woman to break the 60-second mark in the 400 meters this past weekend and ran on the school record-setting 1,600-meter relay team. Sophomore Grace Python broke the school record in the weight throw.
Senior Melissa Cutliffe of Nazareth College, the 2008 Empire 8 Indoor Field Athlete of the Meet, won the long jump at the St. Lawrence Invitational this season. She placed second in the event in last year’s indoor conference championship.
Senior Megan Crimmins of Alfred University won the mile run at this past weekend’s Fredonia Invitational. She finished second in the event in last year’s indoor conference meet.
Utica College will be competing in the championship for the first time as the program is in its inaugural season. Lauren Penc finished fifth behind four NCAA Division I runners and nearly qualified for the ECAC Championships at the Syracuse University Welcome Back Invitational.
For more information on the championship and a schedule of events, please go to the RIT web site at: http://www.ritathletics.com/news/2010/1/28/MTRACK_0128100948.aspx?path=mtrk