Runners of the Week

May 21, 2012

High School Men

-ERIC HOLT, Junior, Carmel: At the Northern County Championships, Holt proved he was just that: a champion. His 1600m time of 4:15.7 makes him a favorite to win the state title and puts him on the short list of runners who may earn a spot on our All-NY Distance First Team. To do so, he will have to improve on a time that was the 5th-fastest in the state so far this season. 

High School Women

-HOLLY CAVALLUZZO, Junior, Valley Central: It was a dominating weekend for Holly at the OCIAA Championships, winning both the 1500m and the 3000m. As far as distance running goes in New York, Cavalluzzo is the best female out there not named Cain. She will battle with the Bronxville standout for the top spot on the distance running podium in the Empire State. College coaches, look out. 

College Men

-KYLE MERBER, Senior, Columbia University: This outstanding senior isn't just one of the best distance harriers in the state--he is a world-class talent. At the Swarthmore Last Chance meet last weekend, Merber defeated an international field to run the fastest collegiate 1500m time in the country this year--3:35.59. It is the second-fastest time in the US this year (at least, before Galen Rupp and Robby Andrews ran this past weekend at the Oxy HP meet). He also beat the old Ivy-League record by nearly 2 full seconds. With the Olympic "A" Standard firmly in his grasp, can this New York distance-running phenomenon stride all the way to London? We will be watching and cheering our hearts out.

College Women

-AUBREE PIEPMEIER, Sophomore, Vassar College & RACHEL MALONE, Freshman, SUNY Brockport: A pair of championship performances this weekend at the ECAC title meet are enough to net two collegiate females the "Runner of the Week" accomplishment this week. Piepmeier dominated the field in 17:10.29 for the 5000m crown, and Malone beat her nearest competitor by over 20 seconds in the 10000m, clocking a 36:23.48. Incredible performances will hopefully be met by well-deserved accolades by these outstanding young women.

May 7, 2012

High School Men

-THOMAS AWAD, Senior, Chaminade: A class-setting pace of 9:16.43 in the 3200m this weekend at St. Anthony's Invitational gets Awad the nod over Section V runner Mike Anvelt. Awad has been a "watch out for this guy" athlete since the beginning of the season, and while he's going to have to keep dropping those times to achieve a state title, he is a runner any college coach would be fortunate to have. He leads Chaminade's combined distance team this year.

High School Women

-MARY CAIN, Sophomore, Bronxville: I know, I know--she was Runner of the Week last week. But you just can't make this stuff up: Cain barely missed the Olympic "B" standard of 4:17.00 in the 1500m, running a 4:17.03. That makes her the second fastest high-school sophomore ever to run the 1500m. Hey, when you break records, you remain our Runner of the Week for an unprecedented second week in a row.

College Men

-LEE BERUBE, Senior, SUNY Geneseo: It was a record-setting weekend for Berube at the 2012 SUNYAC Championships at SUNY Oneonta. Berube broke the SUNYAC meet record with a blistering 14:43.44 in the 5000m, garnering another championship for his impressive resume. For good measure, he added a 10000m performance in 32:08.05, good enough for 3rd. Impressive showing for Berube, helping lead the way at the "SUNY Geneseo Show"--aka the SUNYAC--this weekend.

College Women

-SARAH PAGANO, Sophomore, Syracuse University: Your 2012 10,000m Big East Champion! Sarah far outpaced the field in Tampa this weekend and hopes to take that success into regional finals. A national force to be reckoned with, Sarah leads a powerful Syracuse University distance squad with its eyes set on American dominance.

April 29, 2012

High School Men

-CAMERON CONEYS, Senior, Harborfields: A scintillating 9:32 victory in the 3200m this weekend in the Bob Pratt Smithtown Invitational. This was a PR for Cameron, and 15 seconds faster than any other 2-mile race so far this season. He is a top contender in a very competitive Section 11 and Class A this year.

High School Women

-MARY CAIN, Sophomore, Bronxville: Section I, meet your diva. Bronxville sophomore Mary Cain put on such a show at the Penn Relays this weekend that she'll have talking heads erupting all season. And she's only a sophomore. Her killer 4:39.28 in the women's mile was a meet record in a year devoid of records. Everyone will keep coming back to her 62.5 second last lap gallup, but can Cain improve? Is she the shining star the distance running community has been waiting for? Time, determination and smart practice will tell.

College Men

-MITCH GOOSE, Senior, Iona University: Our two collegiate runners of the week come from last weekend's Larry Ellis Invitational. Most of our NCAA athletes are studying hard for final exams before heading to conference, regional and then--God willing--NCAA championships. Mitch's 3:45 showing in the elite 1500m running was good enough for this week's honors, as he helps lead his Iona team to glory in the remaining weeks of the season.

College Women

-LAUREN PENNEY, Freshman, Syracuse University: Lauren had a great meet at the Larry Ellis, running a season best 16:16 in the 5000m. A second place finish before final exams is great for this outstanding freshman runner for the Orange, who will be a 4-year warrior for an up-and-coming squad. She is coming off an impressive 29th place showing in her cross country debut last fall. She also broke SU's women's mile record earlier this spring.

April 22, 2012

High School Men

-NICK RYAN, Junior, Fayetteville-Manlius: Nick had a great day recently at a dualie against Corcoran, running his 3200m in 9:23.20 to pace the state so far this year. He also turned in an impressive mile run against Nottingham in 4:17.30, a PR and one of the tops in the state so far.

High School Women

-SABRINA SOUTHERLAND, Junior, Benjamin Cardoza: Sabrina paced the field at the NYC Mayor's Cup, winning the 1500m in a personal-best 4:41.26. She will be competing in the fabled Penn Relays next week.

College Men

-TITO MEDRANO, Senior, Syracuse University: Tito ran a blistering, season-best 14:06 in the 5000m at the Larry Ellis Memorial Invitational. He is coming off of a strong personal performance at the Stanford Invitational earlier in the season. He leads a very talented Syracuse team this year, ranked #3 in New York.

College Women

-LUCY VANDALEN, SUNY Stony Brook: At the recent Mt. SAC Relays, VanDalen was the first New Yorker across the line in the 5000m, posting an impressive PR of 15:23.54. After a very strong indoor season, VanDalen paces Stony Brook, currently ranked #5 in the state.