Going out in style: LIU-Brooklyn’s Waller dominates at NEC Championships

May 9, 2012 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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It was a fitting finish to a brilliant career for LIU-Brooklyn senior track star Jazmin Waller during last weekend’s Northeast Conference Championships in Emmitsburg, Md.

The 21-year-old psychology major was named the Most Valuable Performer and Most Outstanding Track Performer during the two-day event, which saw the Blackbirds capture second-place team finishes for both the men’s and women’s squads.

After setting a new NEC meet record in the 200 meters on the first day of competition, Waller scored points in the high jump, 100-meter hurdles, 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash on Sunday.

The Atco, N.J. native took first in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.55, and was second in the 100, clocking in at 12.11. In the 100-meter hurdles, Waller was second in a 1-2-3 sweep with a time of 14.13, and took fourth in the high jump after clearing 1.7 meters.

“I was very happy and grateful for all the things that happened today,” Waller said after accepting her dual MVP honors. “I was excited that we finished the way we did, especially for my senior year.”

Waller, who readily admits that the high-jump and 200-meter are her favorite events, set an NEC record in the 200 on Saturday, breaking the tape in 24.14 seconds.

“Honestly, I didn’t know the record,” confessed Waller. “I wasn’t even sure what I ran. I was very confused when they said I set the record. I was just trying to get a good time for the finals.”

Waller certainly wasn’t alone in helping LIU to its dual runner-up finishes.

Senior Jessie Gaines picked up a pair of golds in the triple jump (12.29m) and 100-meter hurdles (13.77). The 4×100-meter women’s relay team took the top spot with a time of 46.87, while the 4×400-meter relay team was second with a time of 3:48.67.

The Blackbird men scored major points in the 100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter dash events. After setting a new NEC meet record in the long jump on Saturday, senior Corryl Boyd held onto the top spot in the 400, crossing the line in 47.88. Junior Jamal Roberts was second with a time of 48.00, while senior Robert Barnes was fifth with a time of 48.47.

In the 100-meter dash, senior Nickolei Mahlung earned gold with a time of 10.56.

Though competing for LIU may be over for most of this weekend’s competitors, those who qualified from both teams will be in Princeton, N.J., this weekend for the ECAC/IC4A Championships.

A total of five members of the St. Francis College men’s track and field team competed in the final day of the NEC Championships on Sunday.

Junior Akeem Brooks finished fourth in the 400-meter dash with a time of 48.45, as the native of Kingston, Jamaica qualified for the IC4A Outdoor Championships in the process.

Junior Paul Gilhuley, a Bishop Ford alum, placed seventh in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:33.07. Teammate Jason Stapleton rounded out the top-10 in the event as he crossed the finish line in 9:40.66.

In the 1,500 meters, junior Brian Nersten took the bronze, with a time of 3:55.15, edging out teammate Rafal Ksepka, who placed fourth in 3:56.00.

Junior Joseph Gilhuley – Paul’s twin brother – placed fourth in the 800 meters with a time of 1:53.57 while Corey Jones finished seventh in the 400-meter hurdles (57.59).

The men’s 4×400 squad, comprised of Brooks, the two Gilhuleys and Anthony Morales, finished seventh with a time of 3:22.03.

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A pair of LIU-Brooklyn men’s golfers finished in the top ten to help the Blackbirds finish in a tie for second at the Northeast Conference Championship in Daytona Beach, Fla., over the weekend.

Juniors Josh Waters and Jamie Young both earned All-Tournament honors for their strong performances.

Waters was stellar on days two and three of the event to finish tied for third. After firing a 77 in the first round, he came back with an even-par 72 and a 73 to close out the tournament.

Young improved steadily over the course of the weekend, shooting a 78 on day one, a 77 on day two and a 74 on the final day to finish tied for ninth. Freshman Rhys Jones finished his rookie season on a high note, tying for 22nd with scores of 80-77-76.

The St. Francis College men’s squad finished 10th at the event, carding a three-day total of 1037 (345-343-349).

Leading the way for the Terriers was senior Adam User, who entered championship Sunday tied for seventh place before finishing up his collegiate career with a ninth-place showing, carding a three-day total of 229 (77-74-78).

User was the first Terrier to place in the top-10 of a conference championship in the program’s history. In addition, as a top-10 finisher, User became the first Terrier to be named to the all-tournament team.

After shooting four over par on the front nine, User attacked the back nine by paring holes 12 to 16 and ended his day by bogeying the final two holes to finish six over par.

The NYU-Polytechnic golf team narrowly missed out on its first win of the season at Eisenhower Park on Monday, when they took on Old Westbury in their season finale. The Jays were edged by the Panthers, 378-373.

Jays freshmen Theo Goodman and Colin Waddell finished second and third, respectively. Goodman shot an 18-hole score of 81, just one stroke behind first-place finisher Jason Kondra of Old Westbury. His score was nine strokes above par. Waddell shot an 86.

Sophomore Rishi Sarkar finished seventh, with a score of 103, to round out the Jays’ top three.

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Though they had their dreams of a CUNYAC Championship dashed with a 10-0 blanking at the College of Staten Island on Saturday, the Brooklyn College women’s softball team isn’t done competing just yet.

On Monday, the Bulldogs (19-19 overall) received an invite to participate in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Metro Softball Championships, beginning with Wednesday’s game against SUNY College at Old Westbury.

The winner will move on to the double-elimination round, which starts Saturday at host Richard Stockton College.

Junior center fielder Kim Konklewski hopes to continue her hot hitting out of the leadoff spot when Brooklyn College opens play in the ECAC Division III Metro Softball Championships this week. Photo by Damion Reid BC last qualified for the ECAC’s in 2010.

Brooklyn and Old Westbury met earlier this season in a non-conference doubleheader back on March 18, as the Panthers swept the visiting Bulldogs by scores of 3-1 and 6-2.

Junior center fielder Kim Konklewski, a transfer from Suffolk County Community College, hopes to get BC off to a solid start, as she has all season out of the leadoff spot.

She’s hitting a blistering .425 (54-for-127) with 26 runs scored and 18 RBIs this season.

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Though they failed to capture first place in the Northeast Conference, the LIU-Brooklyn women’s softball team can still capture the league’s tournament crown this weekend in Moon Township, Pa.

The Blackbirds, who finished 22-33 overall, but posted a solid 13-7 mark in NEC action, will enter the NEC Championships as the No. 3 seed. LIU will square off against second-seeded Quinnipiac on Thursday in the opening round.

Junior Karina Cervantes collected five hits during Saturday afternoon’s doubleheader split with Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg, Md., on Saturday, leaving the Blackbirds one win shy of securing the No. 2 seed.

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One week after being named a Top-10 female finalist for the coveted 2012 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award, Brooklyn College senior Catherine Chan received yet another honor for her academic excellence.

On Monday, Chan received the Jonas E. Salk Scholarship, which is awarded annually to eight graduating seniors within the CUNY senior colleges.

Chan’s submission for the scholarship, which was reviewed by the Salk Scholarship Committee, was entitled “Generation of a Mycobacterium Mutant with a Chromosomal Deletion of the fadD26 Gene.”

“My primary reason for applying to the Salk was to showcase and present the undergraduate research I have been conducting for the past two years in Dr. Quadri’s laboratory,” said the senior swimmer, diver and biology major.

“It feels great to be acknowledged for my hard work and academic diligence. I’m so honored to be one of the eight recipients and the only student to win from Brooklyn College.”

In the pool, Chan was a member of the BC quartet that posted a fifth-place finish at the CUNYAC Championships in the 200-Year Medley Relay (2:14.93). She also recorded a top-10 finish in the 200-Yard Breaststroke with a time of 3:23.65, good for ninth place.

In the classroom, Chan boasts a 3.918 GPA in her major, with minors in Anthropology and Archaeology. She is also a member of the Macaulay Honors College at BC, as well as a member of the BA/MD program.

Chan will enroll at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine in the Fall of 2012.