UTICA, NY - The Utica University track and field team wrapped up one of its most successful seasons to date following the NCAA Division III Outdoor National Championships a few weeks ago. The program picked up many stellar accolades throughout the season, including taking home six individual All-American nods courtesy of four different athletes, and 12 individual Empire 8 Champions across nine different events. To cap it all off, the team gathered a plethora of Empire 8 All-Conference and USTFCCCA Niagara All-Region selections.
The Empire 8 released its list of Empire 8 All-Conference honorees today, among which the Pioneers featured 14 selections from nine different athletes, including nine selections from six different athletes for the women's team, while the men's team secured five selections from three different athletes, also sporting the Empire 8 Men's Track and Field Rookie of the Year,
Wayne Spencer (Rochester, NY/Padilla (Franklin Campus)), who swept rookie honors across both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
The All-Conference honors reflect the athlete's performance at the Empire 8 Outdoor Championships, with first place garnering Empire 8 All-Conference First Team honors, second place garnering second team honors, etc.
Empire 8 Outdoor Rookie of the Year | Wayne Spencer (Rochester, NY/Padilla (Franklin Campus)) - Spencer completed his sweep of the season's rookie honors in dominant fashion, blowing away the competition in both the triple jump and long jump, with the first-year competitor also securing his first-ever NCAA Division III National Championship appearance, joining the nation's best in the long jump to wrap up his rookie season.
Allie Cary (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) | Discus Throw (First Team) & Shot Put (First Team) - Cary completed a truly outstanding sophomore season with THREE Second Team All-American honors, taking home All-American status in the Shot Put during both the indoor and outdoor seasons, along with a discus All-American during the outdoor season. Her feats throughout the year were legendary, highlighted by the aforementioned three All-Americans, along with two Empire 8 Championships during the outdoor event, and a weekend where she secured four first-place finishes in all three throwing events. Cary's accomplishments have announced her name to the Division III Track and Field landscape, and she continues to rake in accolades even following the season, as her pair of gold medals in the Shot Put and Discus during the Empire 8 Outdoor Championships sees her take home a pair of Empire 8 All-Conference First Team honors. Cary tossed a 13.10m during the Shot Put, and then blew away the competition in the Discus Throw with a 42.72m chuck.
Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) | 3000m Steeplechase (1st Team) & 5000m (3rd Team) - The Pioneers' main long-distance man kept his momentum up throughout the entire academic year, grabbing the Empire 8 Men's Cross Country Championship in the fall, an Empire 8 Indoor Championship in the DMR during the winter, and capping the season off with an Empire 8 Outdoor Championship in the 5000m to pair with an NCAA National Championship appearance and Second Team All-American nod in the 3000m Steeplechase. Melita, in what is one of, if not the most dominant season in program history in terms of all-around success, also earned a pair of All-Conference nods for his performance at the Empire 8 Outdoor Championships. Despite joining the nation's best in the 3000m Steeplechase, it would actually be the 5000m that would become his First Team All-Conference performance, as he took first to claim the gold with a time of 14:40.47. He would snag Third Team All-Conference honors in the 3000m Steeplechase, grabbing a bronze with a time of 9:04.22.
Shiann Williams (Bronx, NY/Hydel) | 200m (1st Team) & 400m (3rd Team) - Williams tore up the track at the Empire 8 Championships, grabbing a gold in the 200m and nearly taking home a second championship in the 400m. Her success in the sprints was evident all year, as the sophomore star had a breakout campaign. Williams captured her first career Empire 8 Championship thanks to a blistering 25.12 mark in the 200m, while she was dangerously close to doubling up in the 400m, instead settling for third place with a 57.69.
Wayne Spencer (Rochester, NY/Padilla (Franklin Campus)) | Long Jump (1st Team) & Triple Jump (3rd Team) - Spencer, the Empire 8 Men's Track and Field Rookie of the Year, took home First Team All-Conference honors in the Long Jump with a 7.29m leap, a jump which would also clinch his first-ever appearance at the Division III National Championships, a feat he accomplished in his debut season. To add onto his stellar showing, Spencer fell just a few ticks short of the Empire 8 Triple Jump Championship, taking third with a 14.26m leap to snag Empire 8 All-Conference Third Team honors.
Stefania Grimaldi (Poland, NY/Poland Central) | Heptathlon (2nd Team) & Javelin Throw (3rd Team) - Grimaldi, the prior season's Outdoor Empire 8 Heptathlon Champion, almost got the job done once again, instead settling for the silver this time around with a score of 3,822 points. Her showing in the expansive event saw her also take home Empire 8 All-Conference Second Team honors, while her showing in the Javelin Throw was a specific moment of greatness, seeing her finish third among all competitors with a 31.41 meter toss to also haul in an Empire 8 All-Conference Third Team selection. Grimaldi rounded out the group of five Pioneer athletes who hauled in multiple Empire 8 All-Conference selections during the conference's outdoor championships.
Tobias Jeralds (Canaan, NY/Chatham Central) | Javelin Throw (Third Team) - Jeralds would add to the Pioneers' solid Javelin outing with his performance in the men's iteration of the event, as he took home the bronze to secure an Empire 8 All-Conference Third Team honor. The recent Empire 8 Men's Cross Country Torchbearer Award recipient wrapped up his senior season with an array of great recognition.
Hannah Allison (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer) | High Jump (1st Team) - Allison added to the Pioneers' superb outing in the field during the Empire 8 Outdoor Championships, capturing the team's fourth Empire 8 Title in the field thanks to her top leap of 1.64m. Allison was rewarded with Empire 8 All-Conference First Team honors for her clutch clearance.
Marlo Townsend (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) | 10,000m (1st Team) & Tomorrow's Leaders Team - Back on the track, Townsend toppled the previous Empire 8 Outdoor Championships record in the 10,000m, conquering the long-distance challenge as she captured first place with a time of 36:34.16. Her unbelievable outing saw her take home the 10,000m Empire 8 Championship, along with an Empire 8 All-Conference First Team honor. To cap it all off, Townsend was also recognized by her peers, as she was named Utica's representative on the Empire 8 Tomorrow's Leaders Team.
Olivia Jensen (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) | 100m Hurdles (3rd Team) - Jensen rounded out the Pioneers' All-Conference honorees, as she hauled in an Empire 8 All-Conference Third Team honor thanks to a speedy 15.29 time in the 100m Hurdles.
Spencer Borghardt (Smithtown, NY/St.Anthony's) | Tomorrow's Leaders Team - To wrap up the Empire 8 Conference recognition, Borghardt, a Division III Indoor All-American, was selected by his peers to be Utica's male representative on the Empire 8 Tomorrow's Leaders Team. The Kiwanis Award winner had a standout season both inside the throwing circle and in the classroom.
The Pioneers saw massive success during the Empire 8 Outdoor Championships, as five athletes received multiple All-Conference honors. Many of these athletes also took home USTFCCCA Niagara All-Region honors for their ranking among the region's best athletes. Check back tomorrow for the full USTFCCCA All-Region announcement!
