Track & Field/Cross Country Announces 40 Additions For 2012-13

ALBANY, N.Y. -- University at Albany's Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Roberto Vives has announced a record 40 student-athletes will be joining the Great Danes' program for the 2012-13 academic year, including nine transfers and two graduate students. Six of the newcomers hail from the Capital Region. 

"This is definitely the deepest recruiting class we have had here at UAlbany," said Coach Vives. "We added top end student-athletes as well as depth in many areas". 

The Great Danes welcome two former Capital Region stars; graduate student Stephen Crouse (Colonie Central/University of Kentucky) and transfer Brittney Lane (Greenwich Central/Sacred Heart University) back home. Crouse, a former High School All-American in the triple jump, will add strength in the horizontal jumps as well as the sprints. Crouse has personal best marks of: 50' 4.5" - triple jump, 23' 6" - long jump, 7.09 - 60m, 21.82 - 200m, and 7.57 - 55HH.  Lane also brings a terrific resume, with personal best marks of: 4:41.62 - 1,500m, 4:59.06 - mile, 9:51.47 - 3,000m, 16:57.01 - 5,000m, and 37:34.42 - 10,000m.

Sprinters Austin Robinson (Sachse HS/Western Texas College), Taariq Jones (Kingston HS), Terrel Moore (Newburgh Free Academy) and Nkosi Muse (Franklin HS) bring added strength and depth to an already strong group. Robinson is a Junior College All-American in the 4x400m relay and Jones placed second at the NY State Championships in both the 300m (34.49) and 400m (48.06) last year. 

The hurdlers also are a strong class, with Jose Farley Jr. (Sheepshead Bay HS), Jeremiah Obeng-Agyapong and Rudgè Beckford, both from Dewitt Clinton High School. Farley was one of the top hurdlers in the country last year. He has run 7.43 for 55 meter high hurdles and 14.20 for 110HH. He was a member of his high school team's national championship and national record holding shuttle hurdle relay. Beckford has run 7.62 for the 55HH and 14.64 for the 110HH to win the PSAL City Championship, and Obeng-Agaypong brings his 7.67 55HH and a terrific 52.59 400IH time to the mix.

The mid-distance/distance crew of James Sommer (Plainedge), Thomas Bonaro (Pearl River), Ray Farinella (Warwick Valley), Dylan Lowry (Cornwall/SUNY Delhi), and Ryan Scarpelli (Sachem East) will help out significantly. Sommer was the New York State runner-up in the 3,000m steeplechase last spring with a time of 9:21.16. Bonaro adds some speed with a 1:21.37 600m and a 1:54.28 800m time, while Scarpelli has run 4:18.79 for the 1600. Lowry brings his 1:54.94 for the 800m and Farinella adds a 9:45.55 steeplechase along with a 1:56.30 800m.

For the field events, a trio of 50-foot shot putters join the Great Danes in Mark Thomas (Shenendehowa), Brendan Behan (Bethlehem) and Adam Dickert (South Brunswick). Thomas also adds a 59' 10" weight throw and 147' 9" discus throw to his resume. Dickert adds a 143' 9" Discus. Behan gave up baseball for the first time this season to focus on his throws. All three will make an immediate impact.

Shaker standout Justice Ramsay joins transfers Marcus Givan (Putnam Valley/California University of Pennsylvania) and Spencer Page (Walton/Lehman College) to bring added depth to an already strong jumps squad. Ramsay brings a 22' 5.5" long jump and 45' 7.75" triple jump, while Givan and Page have high jumped 6' 5.5" and 6' 2", respectively.

Not to be out done, a few high profile student-athletes are coming in for the ladies, Dominique Claudio (St. John Villa) was a two-time All-American and represented Haiti at the 2011 Junior Pan Am Games. Claudio has run 1:35.49 for 600m and 2:14.98 for 800m. Transfer Brittney Killebrew (James Madison/Winston-Salem State) and Aiyanna James (Red Bank Regional/Fairleigh Dickenson) have run 57.84 and 57.85 respectively.  Killebrew adds a 2:12.53 800m. Freshmen Ashlee Maduro (Laguardia) has run 57.7 and Kahlia Taylor adds a 57.73 400 along with: 12.13 - 100m, 24.89 - 200m, and 42.04 - 300m.  Twins Bionca and Brittany Richardson (Brentwood) and Ashley Moxam (Hamden) will add additional depth to the long sprints. Graduate student Claire Pettit (Warwick Valley/UMass) and freshman Breanna Cummings (Benjamin Banneker) will add their talents to the mid-distance group. Pettit has run 2:13.79 for 800, 58.08 for 400m and a 4:45.58 1500m. Cummings has run 2:18.33 for 800m.

Solène Bastien (Saverne, France), T'Sian Haywood (Dewitt Clinton/Southern) will add depth to a strong jump squad. Bastien brings personal-best marks of: 41' 1.75" triple jump, 19' 2.5" long jump, and 5' 7" high jump, while Haywood has triple jumped 40' 0.5". Toni Ann Werner, a transfer from The College of St. Rose, will join freshman Paige Vadnais (Calhoun) in the multi events as well as the hurdles and the pole vault. Werner has run 14.70 for the 100HH and long jumped 17' 3.5". Vadnais has scored 2,658 points in the pentathlon. Lauren Lopano (Croton-Hudson) will join the throws group. She has a best discus throw of 116' 9".

"We are looking forward to seeing this recruiting class in action," Vives said. "This class is definitely going to contribute to our continued dominance in the America East Conference, and goal to become the top team in the Northeast Region and a top-25 national program."

2012-13 University at Albany Women's Track & Field

2012-13 University at Albany Men's Track & Field