Vermont Duo Highlights First Indoor Track & Field Weekly Honors

Track & Field

Mercedes Jackson began the 2012-13 season by besting her personal best in the 60 meter dash.

Vermont Duo Highlights First Indoor Track & Field Weekly Honors

Updated: December 04, 2012 4:12 pm (ET)
by America East Communications

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – In the first weekend of indoor track & field competition, a pair of Vermont athletes stood out in the field events. Freshman Colby Cunningham and junior Brittany St. Clair have been named the Male and Female Field Performers of the Week, respectively. Meanwhile, New Hampshire’s James Anderson and UMBC’s Mercedes Jackson take home Male and Female Track Performer of the Week honors.

Cunningham (Montpelier, Vt.) had an excellent start to his career at Vermont, winning both the high jump and the long jump to help the Catamounts beat Hartford in their season opening meet. The freshman cleared two meters in the high jump, which is currently the 19th best height in the country. In the long jump, Cunningham spanned 6.88 meters, which is currently 27th in the country. Both are tops in the conference after the first weekend.

St. Clair (Whitehall, N.Y.) started off 2012-13 by winning the pentathlon in a victory over Hartford. The junior’s score of 3417 in the pentathlon is currently sixth in the nation and the best mark in the conference. As a part of her victory, St. Clair had the top mark in both the high jump and the long jump.

Anderson (Melrose, Mass.) began his sophomore campaign by cruising to a victory in the 800 meter run at the Jay Carisella Invitational. Besting a field of 11 runners, Anderson’s time of 1:54.94 was nearly three seconds better than the runner-up. It is also currently the seventh-best time in the country and the best time in the America East.

Jackson (Huntingtown, Md.) picked up where she left off in her freshman season. She was named the Most Outstanding Rookie at last year’s America East Championship, due in large part to her 7.49 mark in the 60 meter dash. In her first race of the 2012-13 season, Jackson broke that mark to set a new school record of 7.47 seconds. That time is the fourth-best in the country and tops in the conference.

Elsewhere in the conference, Binghamton’s men and women began their season at the Cornell Relays. Highlighting the meet for the Bearcats was freshman Kierra Arthur (Utica, N.Y.) winning the triple jump. UMBC and New Hampshire competed in non-scoring meets to begin the year. Maine and Stony Brook will open up this weekend while Albany and Boston U. begin the season in January.

2012-13 Indoor Track & Field Performers of the Week

Dec. 4 – Men’s Track Performer of the Week: James Anderson (New Hampshire); Men’s Field Performer of the Week: Colby Cunningham (Vermont); Women’s Track Performer of the Week: Mercedes Jackson (UMBC); Women’s Field Performer of the Week: Brittany St. Clair (Vermont)

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