New York Alumni Making Big Waves In College Week After Week

Kyle Brazeil


While High School Track is just starting up in New York State, the College scene is rounding into form quite nicely. Several big names are finally making their big debuts, rounding into competitive form, or popping up after a slow freshman year.  Check out how all your former favorites are doing at the next level.


Boys

  • Parker Stokes (Maine-Endwell '19) is the newest member of the Sub-4 Club, becoming the 42nd New Yorker to do so. Not only that, but he's also clocked an 8:38.55 in the Steeplechse, #5 in the NCAA right now, and only seconds off the Olympic Trials Standard for Georgetown.
  • Sticking with the Hoyas, Indoor State Record Holder Matthew Payamps (Saint Anthony's '19) is hitting his stride in the open 800m, clocking a personal best of 1:47.17. The mark puts him Top 10 All-Time territory for New Yorkers in College.
  • There is plenty of action in the 5000m, as Kenny Vasbinder (East Aurora '16) is leading New Yorkers at 13:45.95.
  • Dropping down to the Sprints, the story has all been about Noah Williams (McQuaid '17). He currently leads the NCAA and the World in the 400m, dropping a 44.30 in mid-April, just monthes after winning the Indoor NCAA Title. He's also got a windy 200m PR at 20.38, but that quarter-mile has Olympic Trials implications. It's always been a loaded event for the USA, but Williams is putting himself in perfect position to join the Team.
  • Over in the jumps world, Rayvon Grey (Beacon '16) is still on a tear, ripping a windy 26-10.5 in the Long Jump in late April. On the Triple Jump front, PSAL's Salif Mane (Taft '19) is out over 52-7.5.
  • It helps to have the 400H as a High School event in New York. Franklin K. Lane's Denzel Dillaman is NCAA Top 10 with his 50.21 in the event, a nearly three second personal best from his High School career.


Girls

  • It's no secret that Sage Hurta (Hamilton '16) is the talk of the NCAA these days.  While her marquee event of the mile hasn't been contested yet outdoors, she is currently NCAA #2 in the 800m at 2:00.62, behind only wunderkind Athing Mu, and then leads the NCAA in the 1500m at 4:08.38.
  • While she is doing fine in her individual events, Lanae Tava-Thomas (Rush Henrietta '16) hopped in a 4x100m to help drop the NCAA #1 time of 42.63 with the girls of USC.
  • Less than half a second off the NCAA Lead, Paris Peoples (Cardozo '18) clocked a lifetime best 400m time of 51.67 at the Texas Relays back in March, still one of the Top 10 fastest times in the NCAA.
  • Coming back home hasn't hurt Amanda Vestri (Webster Thomas '17) has clocked the NCAA #3 time for Syracuse with her 32:43.15 in the 10,000m.
  • Over in the Jumps, Leah Moran (Holy Names '16) is Top 20 in the NCAA with her career best of 43-5.75 in the Triple Jump, with her Long Jump of 21-0.5 just half an inch over fellow New Yorkers Shayla Broughton (Medgar Evers '16).
  • Rounding out the field events, Jillian Shippee (Shen '17) is now ranked NCAA #6 in the Hammer Throw, after her massive PR of 225-3 this past weekend. The Graduate Record is in reach, out at 231-8.