2001 CUNYAC Cross Country Championships
Hawks Cruise to Men's & Women's Team Titles
Bronx, NY - The Hunter College Hawks soared to the school's fifth straight CUNY
Athletic Conference / Sprint PCS Cross Country women's crown, while their rebuilt men's
team took their sixth title in the past seven seasons. The Championship, always the first
senior college event on the CUNYAC calendar, was held at historic Van Cortlandt Park.
The women's race was billed as a battle between three veterans, Hunter's Donna
Mahoney, Baruch's Hana Pechackova and Lehman's Maria Castro for the individual title.
Mahoney (New Dorp/Staten Island, NY) blasted her personal best time to win the 3.1 mile
(5,000 meters) race in 20:48:46, while Pechackova and Castro finished second and fourth,
over a minute behind.
"It's a big accomplishment for me," said Mahoney, who ran the third fastest time
in the race's history. "I set my personal best at 21:33 here a few weeks ago, so it
feels great to win the race here today. I am feeling stronger as the season progresses.
I am looking forward for the rest of the season."
Pechackova, last year's winner from the Czech Republic, a sophomore, was a full
minute slower than her 2000 time, finishing in 21:49.78. She was 14 seconds ahead of
the third place finisher, Cynthia Barrett of Hunter (Curtis/Staten Island, NY), who
crossed at 22:03.62.
In the team race, Hunter had 30 points, six points better than last year's mark,
while Baruch College jumped up to second place with 60 points and Lehman College took
home the bronze with 82 points. Last year's second place team, York College dropped to
fourth (92 points), despite a 22:43.47 fifth place finish from sophomore Shakima Thomas
(Beach Channel/Queens, NY).
On the men's side, the race was anti-climatic, as York junior Khari White
(Beach Channel/Jamaica, NY) garnered the top prize in 29:18.65 in the 5-mile
(8,000 meters) race. White was expecting a push from Hunter newcomer David Kesting,
but the sophomore from Florida was a no-show for the championship event. Hunter had
the next two finishers, freshman Kamal Dahib (Casablanca, Morocco), who ran a 34:55.58
and sophomore Junior Pierre (Edison/Jamaica, NY) in 32:25.58. Hawk veterans Benjamin
Opare-Abetia and Jason Van Sluytman finished in sixth and seventh place.
"I haven't felt my best in the last two weeks," said White. "But still, this is a
fantastic feeling that I've been striving for the last three years. It's great to see
your name atop the list".
The men's team scoring was a little tighter on the top with Hunter garnering 29 points,
followed by York the defending champions, at 46 points. It was the first time since 1995,
that the margin of victory was less than 20 points. Brooklyn finished in third place with
70 points, led by junior Michael Ast (Xaverian/Brooklyn, NY), who slotted sixth in
33:49.71.
"We are pleased at the performances of our newcomers," said longtime Hunter coach
Ed Zarowin. "Kamal Dahib is a 27-year old freshman and Sally Carpenter is running
competitively for the very first time."
As for CUNYAC's Community College runners, Queensborough freshman Chris Yepez from
Corona, NY (Bryant HS) was the top finisher, running the second best time of the day,
31:11.52.
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