Pierson, Rissmeyer and Ithaca DMR earn NYSCTC honors
Three of the four
New York State Collegiate Track Conference athlete of the week awards went to student-athletes of the Empire 8.
Nazareth freshman Taylor Pierson was named the women's indoor Track Athlete of the Week. Pierson turned in another strong performance for the Golden Flyers at Saturday's Brockport Invitational. She won the long jump with a leap of 5.44 meters (17 feet, 10 1/4 inches) and ran on the winning 4 x 200-meter relay (1:48.90).
Pierson has set four school records in this season, including a leap of 5.46 meters (17 feet, 11 inches) to win the Empire 8 Conference title in the long jump on Jan. 26. Nazareth competes again Feb. 15 at RIT.
Ithaca senior Amanda Rissmeyer was named NYSCTC Field Athlete of the Week. Her point total of 3,366 ranks her second in the nation, just 18 points shy of the top performer. Rissmeyer placed first in the high jump and shot put and second in the long jump. She cleared 1.68 meters to meet the facility record in the high. The mark that ranks her fifth in the country. She threw 11.30 meters in the shot and tallied a mark of 5.30 meters in the long. Her high jump and long jump performances met the ECAC qualifiers.
The Ithaca College distance medley relay team of Nathan Bickell, David Geary, Billy Savage and sophomore Mason Mann tallied NYSCTC Track Athletes of the Week praise. The relay team won the race in 10:18.18, a performance that ranks second in Division III and meets the ECAC qualifier.
Ithaca returns to action on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 8-9 at the Boston University Valentine Invitational, at the Ithaca Quad Meet and the Cornell Kane Invitational.