The University of Albany reinforced their dominance at the 2024 America East Indoor Championships that concluded in Boston on Monday winning both men and women’s titles.

Led by their Jamaican star sprinter Shakur Williams UA’s men amassed 165 points to secure their 15th title in 19 years while the women, led by Dominique Clarke were even more impressive scoring 191 points winning their 15th overall championship and third in the past four years.

Albany’s dominance was led by their short sprinters who have now won seven consecutive 60m titles at the conference level while enjoying their third sweep of the event indoors.

Following in the footsteps of 2023 champion, Travis Williams, Shakur, a junior at UA, led a sweep of 60m men’s dash winning in 6.67 over teammate Shavar Staats Jr (6.78) and Lucas Casab (6.91). The former Meadowbrook High School sprinter completed the sprint double in a UA 1-2 in the 200m. He strolled to victory in 21.35 with Staats Jr taking the silver medal in 21.58.

Vermont’s Alex Siaton claimed the bronze medal finishing third in 21.62.

 

UA’s men continued to showcase their quality in the 60m hurdles. Antwone Messado blew away his rivals hurdling to a time of 8.07. Left in his wake was his teammate Adrian Rippstein (8.43) and Luke Stelmach of UMass Lowell, who ran 8.43 to take the final podium spot.

It was a similar situation in the men’s high jump where Ja’Lil Reynolds cleared 2.12m to claim gold with teammate Zhi Luncheon-Lowrie’s cleareance of 2.09m securing the silver medal. Bryant’s Michael Marshall took third with his best leap of 2.00m.

Former Kingston College jumper Louis Gordon led an Albany sweep of the long jump competition. The Caymanian athlete soared out to a mark of 7.57m with teammates Marcus McFadden and Christian Quinn finishing second and third with marks of 7.31m and 7.23m, respectively.

Travis Robinson imposed his class on the shot put field. The Jamaican put 18.53m more than a metre better than his nearest rival, Maine’s Jonathan Prell (17.03m) and New Hampshire’s Caden Zalenski (16.16m). The winning mark was a personal best, school record and championship record.

 

Meanwhile, UA’s women were showcasing their own prowess on the track led by former Papine High School standout Dominique Clarke who led a remarkable 1-2-3-4 sweep of the women’s 60m dash. Clarke, who won the title in 7.45 in 2023, was even faster this time, taking the gold medal in 7.41. UA’s women have won the 60m dash for the seventh consecutive year.

Shenequa Vassell took the silver in a personal best 7.63 edging teammate Jazmen Newberry (7.64) and freshman Shantae Pryce (7.65).

Clarke, however, was unsuccessful in her defence of the 200m title she won in 2023. She finished second to University of Maryland, Baltimore County sprinter Caitlyn Bobb, who clocked 23.95 to Clarke’s 23.96. Newberry was third in 24.09 in the closely contested event.

UA went 1-3 in the 60m hurdles. Antoinette Galloway earned a valuable 10 points when she won in 8.25 ahead of Binhghamton’s Jenna Chan (8.52). Katelyn del Gandio took bronze in 8.59.

Albany’s Amelia Benjamin won the high jump with a clearance of 1.80m. Lucciana Robinson of Binghamton cleared 1.71m for the silver medal while UMass Lowell’s Erin Jensen was third with her best leap of 1.63m.

University of Albany’s women also claimed two of the three podium places in the long jump. That event was won by Ofe Omokeni with her leap of 5.73m. Her teammate, Rebeca Valerie Barrientos Alpha, took second place with 5.50m, a single centimetre ahead of UMass Lowell’s Rebecca Crosier (5.49m).

Leann Nicholas won the triple jump and Barrientos Alpha took second place with efforts of 12.55m and 11.88m respectively.

Albany’s Kiana Nosile was just edged out in the weight throw with her mark of 18.91m being bettered my Maine’s Cheyenne Figueroa, who threw 18.93m. Mackenzie Wilson, also of Maine took bronze with her throw of 18.09m.

Among the men, UMass Lowell finished second in the standings with 144.5 points with Binghamton third with 119.5.

Binghamton scored 134 points for second place among the women with UMass Lowell third on 114.

 

 

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