FARMINGDALE, N.Y. | College Sports Communicators recently announced its selections for its 2022-23 Academic All-District Track and Field/Cross Country Team, and seven Farmingdale State College student-athletes were recognized by the organization.
Men's sophomore Rams student-athletes on the list included: Daniel Catano (Deer Park, N.Y.); Steven Grannis (Farmingdale, N.Y.); and Patrick Vierling (Deer Park, N.Y.). The quartet of FSC women's selections included: sophomore Meghan Cichon (Mahopac, N.Y.); and seniors Lindsey Jolly (Massapequa, N.Y.), Michaela Rapisarda (Deer Park, N.Y.) and Emily Russell (Southold, N.Y.).
Student-athletes are eligible for the Academic All-District and Academic All-America program by holding a 3.5-plus grade point average (4.0 scale) as sophomores or greater in their eligibility, and must be starters or key reserves on their team. All seven of the Farmingdale State student-athletes will now appear on the Academic All-America ballot, with those selections being announced on June 28 (women's) and 29 (men's).
A psychology major, Catano competed in all three seasons (cross country, indoor and outdoor) for the Rams, including serving as part of the second-place 4x800 meter relay team during the indoor campaign at the Jan. 16, MLK Tribute Invite (9:18.94). His 5:13.01 time in the mile at that event placed ninth. Catano's 4:38.59 time in the 1,500m run during the April 23, Skyline Conference Championship was good for fifth place.
Grannis, a criminal justice major, continued to consistently perform in the throwing events for Farmingdale State, as he won the Skyline Championship's hammer throw while setting a PR with his eighth-place showing at the May 6-7, NJAC Outdoor Championship (44.51m; 146-0).
A mechanical engineering major, Vierling set PRs during the outdoor season in both the 800m (2:17.08, seventh place at the Skyline Championship) and the 1500m (4:38.35).
Cichon majors in nursing, and placed fourth at the outdoor Skyline Championship with her PR of 13.69 in the 100-meter dash. Two weeks later she set a personal record at the NJAC Championship with her 28.50 time in the 200-meter dash.
Jolly, who also received Academic All-District praise during the women's soccer campaign this past fall, recorded second-place finishes at the Skyline Championship in the 400-meter hurdles (1:14.65) and pole vault (PR of 2.12m; 6-11.5), helping the criminal justice major's squad to the conference title.
Rapisarda, a major in health promotion and wellness, won the pole vault event at the Skyline Championship with her 2.32m (7-7.25) mark, before setting her personal record with a leap of 2.35m (7-8.5) for a sixth-place finish at the NJAC Championship.
Also a health promotion and wellness major, Russell won the heptathlon at the NJAC Championship before placing third at the Atlantic Regional Championship (May 17-18) with her personal-record score of 4,296 points. Her 32.93m (108-0) toss of the javelin was the top mark of the competition, as well as a PR for the senior.