Staten Island, NY| On Friday, the LIU Post men's and women's track teams impressed in their second competition of the season, the Seahawk Shootout at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex.
In a highly competitive 15-team field that included eight Division I schools, both Pioneer squads turned in very strong performances, scoring in a combined total of 7 events.
In throws competition, all Pioneer team members excelled, with freshman Alyssa Farrell (Commack, NY) winning outstanding athlete honors on the Post women's team for her impressive personal-best performance of 40'5" in the weight throw, good for fifth place. Sophomore teammate Kaitlin Klein (Richmondville, NY) took third place with a throw of 43' 3.25," and freshman teammate Tatyanna Ogbue (Oceanside, NY) registered a strong performance, throwing a personal best of 33' 4.75" in the shot put, which was good enough for third place.
In the mile run, senior Talya Williams (Schenectady, NY), fresh from her ECC Cross-Country Runner of the Year laurels, took second place with a very strong early-season outing with a 5:08.65 time.
In the sprint medley relay, the Pioneers dominated, taking first place decisively in a very fast 4:14.65. All four team members turned in excellent splits: freshman Nataly Ramirez (Brentwood, NY) with a 61.54 lead-off 400m; freshman Jackie Ginty (Islip Terrace) and sophomore Alexandra Okon (Laurel, MD) with 200m splits of 25.62 and 26.55, respectively, and Williams with a rousing come-from-behind 800m anchor leg of 2:20.7.
In a very crowded 60m field competing against more than 70 athletes, Jackie Ginty starred once again, taking fourth place overall with a personal best time of 07.97. Teammate and twin sister, freshman Katie Ginty (Islip Terrace, NY) also notched a personal best time of 08.36.
Running in the very competitive 600m, Okon took fifth place, winning her heat going away with a personal best time of 1:39.52.
In the 60m high hurdles, freshman Samantha Piccolo (Lindenhurst, NY) posted a personal best time of 10.50.
Pioneer jumpers also posted competitive results. Sophomore Nicole Costanzo (Nesconset, NY) and freshman Kayra Theodore (Elmont, NY) both high-jumped 4'11", with Costanzo taking fourth place on fewer misses and Theodore taking sixth. Theodore came back in the Triple Jump to take fourth place with a leap of 32'9.25".
Head Coach Kevin Buckley and the Pioneers return to action at the top of 2018, surging into the new year with their next competition at the Wagner Invitational on January 5th, back at the Ocean Breeze Complex.