February 19, 2006

TCNJ CAPTURES THE 2005-06 NJAC
INDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

LION SQUADS GARNER THEIR NINTH CONSECUTIVE INDOOR CROWNS

The College of New Jersey continued its dominance in the New Jersey Athletic Conference on February 19 as the Lions swept the 2006 Indoor Track and Field Championships at the 168^th Street Armory. TCNJ has swept every indoor championship since the conference began conducting the meet in 1998.

The Lions totaled 215 points on the men's side as they captured 8-of-the-18 events contested. New Jersey City University was second with 75 points, followed by Montclair State University (66 points), Rowan University (57), Richard Stockton College (50), Kean (38), Ramapo College (31), William Paterson University (12), and Rutgers Camden (11). On the women’s side, TCNJ (223), which took first-place honors in 14 events, recorded 87 more points than the second-place finisher, Richard Stockton College (136), with New Jersey City (74), Kean (50), Rutgers Camden (19), Ramapo (19), Rowan (9), Montclair State (6), and William Paterson (1), rounding out the team scoring.

TCNJ senior Brittny Boyd and NJCU sophomore Ronald Hussey were named the Gerrity Award winners as the Most Outstanding Female and Male Athletes respectively. Boyd won the Long Jump, (5.53m), 55-Meter Dash, and 200-Meter Run clocking in at 7.36 and 25.46 respectively. Hussey placed 1^st in the 55-Meter Dash tying the previous NJAC Championship record of 6.45 seconds and ran with the 4x200 Meter Relay team setting a new NJAC record at 1:28.35. 

TCNJ’s Jeff Zodda and NJCU’s Thomas Hunter were awarded Co-Outstanding Male Track Athletes after Zodda broke a NJAC record of his own in the 800-Meter Run in a time of 1:52.90 and Hunter came in first in the 400-Meter Run in 47.90.  Zodda also ran on the first place 4x400 Meter Relay team while Hunter earned his own first place crown in the 4x200. The Most Outstanding Female Track Athlete went to New Jersey City’s Denay Caldwell after winning the 55-Meter Hurdles with a time of 8.38 and joining her fellow teammates in the 4x200 clocking in at 4:11.25 for the first place ribbon.

The Most Outstanding Field Male Athlete Award went to Robert Godfrey of Rowan University who placed first in the Shot Put with a 16.49 meter throw and Lisa Chatman of Richard Stockton earned the same honor on the women’s side. Chatman placed second in the Long Jump hitting 5.19 meters and second in the High Jump leaping 1.53 meters. Chatman also ran the 55-Meter Hurdles placing second in 8.83 before grabbing a third place ribbon in the 800-Meter Run with a time of 2:24.48.

Besides records already mentioned, many others were broken throughout the day. On the women’s side, Katie Dirkes of Richard Stockton College broke the record for the 20lb. Weight Throw hitting 14.26 meters.  For the first time at the NJAC Championships, the One Mile Run was held replacing the 1,500-Meter Run and new records were formed as Shaun Blake of Kean University and Allyson Krayl of The College of New Jersey placed first crossing the finish line in 4:22.60 and 5:18.10 respectively. Brian Donovan, also from TCNJ, broke the record for the 3,000-Meter Run (8:33.56) that was previously held by TCNJ’s Nick Ricco (8:38.59) from 2002.

The College of New Jersey head coach Eric Mobley was selected as the NJAC Women’s Coach of the Year while New Jersey City University head coach Steven Royster was named Men’s Coach of the Year in guiding his Gothic Knight men’s team to a second place finish and his women’s team to a third place finish.