PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – Rochester produced nine qualifiers – five in running events and four in field events – for the All-Atlantic Region Track & Field Championships coming up later this month at St. John Fisher College.
 
The performances came at the Liberty League West Championships held in Edwin Fauver Stadium (part of the Prince Athletic Complex) and in the throwing areas by the Medical Center. Vassar College held the Liberty League East Championships.
 
In this four-team affair, Ithaca College captured 258 points, RIT earned 142, Rochester had 141, and St. Lawrence finished with 69.
 
Additionally, UR performers made their mark nationally. Two of the three individual running champions placed among the NCAA leaders for those events. Gabe Lundy won the 400 IH in a time of :53.13. That is a Liberty League Meet Championship Record and is the fifth fastest time in NCAA Division III this season. It is an Atlantic Region qualifier.
 
Scott Sikorski won the 1500 in 3:52.07. That is an All-Atlantic qualifying time and is the ninth fastest time in Division III currently. The other Atlantic Region qualifiers were Nathaniel Brunacini in the 3,000 Steeplechase (9:52.41, fifth overall), Daniel Ford in the 800 (first in 1:55.38), and the 4x100 relay team of Kuan-Ho Chen, Lundy, Joshua Agyarko Jr., and Frederick Liu (:43.50, third overall).
 
Rochester placed top six finishers in nine running events. The 800 and the 400 IH had three top-six people each. In the 800, Ford was followed by Blaine Doyle in third (1:57.74) and Christian Voloshen in fifth place (1:59.32). Lundy had two cohorts in the 400 IH: Garrett Dietrich in fourth place (:58.88) and Adam Smith in fifth (:59.14). Alec Glazier was fifth in the 1500, running a 4:05.35 to Sikorsky's winning time.
 
Opsahl was sixth in the 110 HH (0:16.43). He was fourth in the high jump (1.85 m. – 6-0 ¾) and third in the triple jump (13.15 m. – 43-1 ¾). Jarod Forer was fifth in the 400 (:52.41) and sixth in the javelin throw (40.80 m. - 133-10).
 
Ho-Chen, who ran the first leg of the 4x100, ran an :11.10 to claim third place in the 100. Mitch Lienert was fifth in the 200 (:23.12).
 
Among the field event performers, Terry Cook qualified for the All-Atlantics in two events. He was the runnerup in the long jump (6.95 m. = 22-9 ¾) and third in the pole vault (4.64 m. – 15-2 ¾). Ryan Swavely was the first of three UR finishers in the hammer throw. His distance of 50.93 m. (167-1) booked his spot at All-Atlantics. Nolan Ragland was fourth (46.48 m. – 152-6) and Joe Bumpus was sixth (42.57 m. – 139-8).
 
James O'Neil was third in the shot put (13.57 m. – 44-6 ¼), fifth in the discus (40.40 m. – 132-6), and third in the javelin (47.26 m. – 155-1).  Joseph Varghese was top six in the high jump (sixth place - 1.80 m. – 5-10 ¾), the triple jump (fourth, 12.71 m. – 41- 8 ½), and the javelin (fifth, 45.28 m. – 148-7).
 
The fourth Atlantic qualifier was Andres Garcia Coleto in the high jump (third, 1.90 m. -6-2 ¾). Frederick Liu was sixth in the long jump (6.51 m. – 21-4 ¼) to Cook's second place Atlantic qualifying distance. Dylan Rykert was fifth in the shot put (13.07 m. – 42-10 ¾).