CORTLAND, NY - The Utica University track and field team competed well at the Cortland Classic on Sunday, April 30. It was the team's final tune-up meet before the Empire 8 Championships next weekend. The Pioneers were just one of three teams that competed at the meet and turned in great performances despite the weather. 
 
In the men's 100m, the Pioneers went three-four as Ethan Kain (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) and Shane Tinney (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) each ran 11.29, with Kain getting the slight edge by less than one hundredth of a second. Both times were personal bests for the duo. In the women's 100m, Laura Meade took the win with a time of 12.79. The wins didn't stop there in the women's sprints as Mackenzie Mix took first in the women's 200m running a 25.90, beating second place by more than two seconds. 
 
Utica also posted a pair of wins in the hurdle events. In the men's 110m hurdles, TyJon Billinger got the win with a personal best time of 16.33. Brady Szekeres (Accord, NY/Rondout Valley) was just behind him placing second, running 16.62. In the men's 400m hurdles, Jonathan Simmons (Broadalbin, NY/Broadalbin-Perth) took first as he ran a 59.19. 
 
The Pioneers posted great times in the distance events as well. In the men's 1500m, the team took two of the top five spots. Michael Roberts (Remsen, NY/Remsen) was third running a 4:18.20, and Zachary Brown (Milford, NY/Milford Central) took fifth place with a 4:29.14.
 
In the women's 3000m steeplechase, Jade Dening punched her ticket to regionals with a time of 11:50.40 while also taking the win. Noella Burlette was second, posting a personal best of 13:53.64.
 
For the men's steeplechase, Anthony Leotta (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollows Hills West) took second place with a massive personal best time of 10:17.99 which beat his previous best time by more than 20 seconds. Tobias Jeralds (Chatham, NY/Chatham) took fifth with a 10:38.55. 
 
It was another great day for the throwing events as usual. For the fourth week in a row, Jane Fahy won the women's shot put with a toss of 13.31m and was also second in the women's discus throw with a personal best throw of 38.69m. The men's shot put squad dominated, taking four of the top five spots. Hunter Logan (Fort Plain, NY/Herkimer College) was first tossing 15.96m, Justin Swavely (Rome, NY/RFA) was second with a 13.84m toss, Cole DeKing () had a personal best throw for the second week in a row with a toss of 13.37m to take fourth, and Billie Mays III (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) was fifth with a throw of 12.86m.
 
For the men's hammer throw, the Pioneers went two-three-five as Antwan Kelly (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) was second with a 51.74m toss, Mark Brown (Warwick, RI/Pilgrim) had a personal best throw of 46.44m to take third, and Swavely was fifth, throwing 44.47m. Along with Fahy, Sarah Florian also finished top-five in the women's discus throw, finishing fourth with a 35.13m toss. 
 
The jumping events had its fair share of top finishers as well. In the women's high jump, Amina Sinclair took second place with a jump of 1.52m. On the men's side of high jump, Kaiden McCaskill (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) won the event, jumping 1.83m. For the men's triple jump, Cooper Jones (Rio Rancho, NM/Rio Rancho) was second with a leap of 11.55m, and Zeniyah Gholson got her first collegiate win in the women's triple jump with a 10.08m jump.
 
Utica will turn their focus to the Empire 8 Championship at home next weekend with day one beginning on Friday, May 5 with day two to follow on Saturday.