Marist freshman Adam Vess (Cromwell, Conn.) finished third in the 5K at the USA Track and Field Junior Championships at Ohio State University on June 20, and with fellow freshman Timothy Keegan (Huntington) finishing seventh in the 10K the next day, Marist earned the distinction of having two runners named as Junior All-Americans. Vess earned the highest finish by any Marist runner at the event in program history.
“This is phenomenal,” Marist men’s cross country/track and field head coach Pete Colaizzo after Vess’s race. “I’m very pumped that on a national stage, Adam did so well. For him to nail it ton is a good start to our weekend. For a tactical race, his time is very good.”
The race itself got off to a methodical start, but Vess closed furiously, completing the final 1,000 meters in a split of 2:45. With three laps to go, Vess held the lead. His final time of 14:47.76 was just over three seconds behind champion Matt Centrowitz of Oregon, who finished in 14:44.67. Virginia’s Ryan Collins placed second in 14:46.50.
Keegan completed his race in 31:49.57, the fastest time a Marist runner has posted in the 10K at junior nationals. Six previous Marist runners had run the 10K at junior nationals.
“He ran a tremendous race; a very gutsy, tough race,” Colaizzo said.
Keegan was ninth at the halfway point of the race, completing the first 5K in 15:41, before moving up two spots to clinch All-American honors.
Rolek earns ESPN The Magazine honor
Marist senior Mike Rolek (Maplewood, N.J.) was named to ESPN The Magazine’s Academic All-America Third Team for track & field/cross country on June 23, joining 44 other male runners from across the country.
“This is a fantastic honor for Mike and for our entire program. Mike accomplished quite a bit in the classroom and on the track for us during his four years, and this award re-affirms all that he accomplished,” said Colaizzo.
Rolek, a sports journalism major, graduated in May with an impressive 3.9 grade point average. On March 5, he became the first student-athlete at Marist to receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. A nine-time MAAC All-Academic Team selection in cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field, Rolek was also named Marist’s Male Sportsperson of the Year for 2007-08. Rolek was named All-MAAC in cross-country after finishing 12th at the MAAC Championships on Oct. 26. During the outdoor track season, he set a then-school record in the 10,000-meter on April 6 with a time of 30:36.66.
D’Aniello qualifies for U.S. rowing team
Former women’s crew captain and 2008 Marist graduate Lisa D’Aniello (Niskayuna) qualified for the United States Under-23 National Rowing Team with lightweight doubles partner Kristin Headstrom (‘08, University of Wisconsin) this past weekend in Lake Mercer, N.J. The duo will compete in Brandenburg, Germany at the 2008 FISA World Rowing Under-23 Championships from July 17-20.
D’Aniello, a two-sport athlete who earned eight varsity letters in her time at Marist, realized a goal she had set for herself three years ago as a sophomore with the Red Foxes.
“Lisa’s accomplishment this weekend is a direct result of her dedication to hard work and her love for the sport,” said Marist Director of Rowing Tom Sanford. “She has had her mind set on making the U23 Team for years now, and she has done that.”
D’Aniello and Headstrom raced uncontested at the 2008 World Championship Trials at Lake Mercer; the same venue D’Aniello and the Red Foxes won the 2008 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Women’s Rowing Championship.
Marist’s Cary honored in Clark C. Griffith Collegiate League
Marist right-handed pitcher Richard Cary (Binghamton) was named Pitcher of the Week in the Clark C. Griffith Collegiate Baseball League last week. Cary, who pitches for the Vienna Senators, went 2-0 with an 0.75 ERA this past week.
In 12 innings of work, Cary allowed just six hits, three walks and one earned run while striking out eight. The Senators are in first place in the league with a 19-1 record, leading by seven games.
This past season, Cary led the Red Foxes with six wins in his sophomore season, posting a 6-2 record with a 4.28 ERA. He pitched in 11 games, making eight starts and tossing 48.1 innings on the season.
The Clark C. Griffith Collegiate Baseball League is based in northern Virginia. Current major leaguers who have played in the league include John Maine of the New York Mets, Jonathan Papelbon of the Boston Red Sox and Mark Teixeira of the Atlanta Braves.