QUEENSBURY -- Several athletes with Plattsburgh State track and field ties had strong performances at the Adirondack Region Empire State Games Trials held recently at Queensbury High School.

Alumnus Ted Santaniello, who served last season as an interim assistant coach for the Cardinals, took second in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes in 11.46 and 23.08 seconds, respectively. Hometown product Schuyler Field, who will be a sophomore in 2009, also had a runner-up finish in the pole vault at 14 feet and 5¼ inches.

Assistant coach Greg Wisser won the decathlon with 5,429 points while alumna Jenny Hutchinson (10-6 in the pole vault) and junior-to-be Kathryn O'Leary (1:08.56 in the 400m intermediate hurdles) captured first place in their respective events.

All qualified for the Empire State Games to be held in Binghamton July 24-26.

The following individuals just missed the cut-off for state qualification including junior-to-be Jordan Bieber who was third in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles (59.51 seconds); sophomore-to-be Josh Mockus who was third in the 400 meters (53.02); sophomore-to-be Brian Mockus who finished third in the decathlon (5,128 points); alumnus Mike Castine who came in third in the shot put (45-9¼); and senior-to-be Matt Medeiros who finished fourth in the 3k steeplechase (10:16.68).

sports information

earns national honors

PLATTSBURGH -- The Cardinals' sports information office was the lone representative honored by CoSIDA to receive national certificates in the entire SUNY system, including the State University of New York Athletic Conference membership.

The two certificates match the school's best output since last season when the men's soccer and women's hockey guide covers were voted Best in the Nation in Division C, including 400-plus NCAA Division III and junior college institutions.

The cover concept was created by Stewart and Chris Boire of Boire Design perfected the full-color layout. The women's guide, featuring All-Americans Julie Devereux and Danielle Blanchard sandwiching the program's first NCAA championship trophy on a red-bleed cover, was entered in the Single-Sport Category. The cover took first place in Division C while the book itself was 21st despite being combined with Division A-B, which includes NCAA Division I and II programs.

Like women's hockey, the men's hockey book contest -- with the leadership group of C.J. Tozzo, Tom Breslin, Joey Wilson, Nick Rolls and T.J. Cooper on the cover -- was grouped with larger schools to end up fifth overall but won Division C cover laurels.

Stewart has garnered 24 CoSIDA certificates for publications and writing excellence, including 13 Best in the Nation plaudits. Chapin earns her third award of her three-year sports information career. Boire also worked on 4 Plattsburgh's Best Cover citations.

99 PSU Athletes

earn academic honors

FREDONIA -- The State University of New York Athletic Conference has released the academic all-conference teams and Commissioner's Lists with 99 Plattsburgh State student-athletes from all 17 sports (indoor and outdoor track was combined) were represented during the 2007-08 academic year. The Cardinal honorees with title, name, class, major and hometown: