Pair out to defend SUNYAC titles
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CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Women's track & field
FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Fredonia State's Julia Hopson (Poughkeepsie/Arlington) and Kate Brett (Webster/Webster-Schroeder) will be out to defend their respective individual titles when the SUNYAC convenes for its outdoor track and field championship meet Friday and Saturday at the College at Oneonta.
A senior and 2009 indoor national champ in the 20-pound weight throw, Hopson is favored to repeat as SUNYAC champ in the hammer throw and in the shot put. She has the second-best hammer throw in NCAA Division III so far this spring, six meters beyond the next-best SUNYAC woman. Her best effort in the shot is also best in the conference by one meter.
"Julia will also be looking for season-bests in both evens," head coach Liz Aldrich said, "particularly in the hammer throw. She will also be throwing the discus and running the 4-by-100, where she also should contribute some points."
Brett, a sophomore, is ranked second in the 100-meter high hurdles, a title she won last year, but according to Aldrich, is "capable of a much faster time." Brett will also run in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles (she was second in the event last spring), and in the 4-by-100 and the 4-by-400 relays.
Sophomore Hailey Guard (Youngstown/Lewiston-Porter) and freshman Cynthia Herivaux (Hopewell Junction/Arlington) are potential scorers in running events. Guard has been dropping her times all spring in the 800 meters, while Herivaux will be looking to move up in the 400-meter hurdles.
Aldrich said junior Jackie Majka (Depew) is capable of top-five finishes in the three jump events, with her best shot for a title coming in the high jump. Meanwhile, junior Cassidy Gertis (Bliss/Letchworth) and freshman Keri Heath (Farmington/Victor) will look to score points in the throws - Gertis in the javelin, Heath in the hammer and the discus
The meet starts at 2 p.m. Friday and last throughout the day. The Saturday session will begin at 10 a.m. Live results and a webcast of running events will be available via the Oneonta website.