Rochester, NY — Russell Sage College's men's indoor track and field team competed on Saturday at the 2021 Empire 8 Indoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Nazareth College at the Golisano Training Center. The Gators wrapped their first Indoor Empire 8 Championship with a strong performance as they finished in fifth place. St. John Fisher College won the team championship after amassing 213 points on the day.

Men's Team Scoring

1^st           St. John Fisher    213 points

2^nd          Nazareth             143 points

3^rd          Utica College      59 points

4th         Houghton            53 points

5^th          Sage                     18 points

6^th          Alfred                   10 points

Gator rookie Dominic Nova (Rensselaer, NY/Columbia) was a runner-up in two events as he was just edged at the finish line in the mile run and the 800 meter run by the same competitor, Grant Stokoe from St. John Fisher College. In the one mile run, Nova was second in 4:28.52 just behind Stokoe who won the race in 4:28.39. The same duo battled for the championship in the 800 as Stokoe won the race in 2:02.02 just ahead of Nova's 2:02.77. Nova capped his afternoon with an eighth place finish in the 3,000 meter run win 9:26.18. Nova was honored as the Meet's Rookie of the Meet for his tremendous performance.

In the distance medley relay, the Gators were sixth in 12:03/35 behind the work of junior Jared Young (Winthrop, NY/Brasher Falls Central), junior Ramasoj Williams (Hyde Park, NY/Franklin D. Roosevelt), and seniors Ellis Richardson (Hudson, NY/Hudson) and Holden Maynard (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen).

Also running in the mile run, Maynard was eighth in 4:46.12, while Young added an 11^th place finish in the 800 meter run in 2:14.00. Junior Brett LaBier (Albany, NY/Colonie) posted a time of 2:32.01 and finished in 17^th in the 800 meter run.

Richardson posted a time of 53.92 and finished in seventh place in the 400 meter run, while rookie Carlos Temple (Strykersville, NY/Iroquois Central) finished in 14^th in 1:03.04.

In the long jump, junior Deshawn Fleary (Newark, NJ/Immaculate Conception Montclair) had a performance of 4.70 meters and finished in 14^th place and Temple was next in 16^th place with a mark of 4.47 meters.

In the 200 meter run, Williams led the Gators with a 14^th place finish in 24.93 and senior Arnoldo Burnett (Bronx, NY/John F. Kennedy) was 15^th with his time of 25.06.  Rookie Tyler Case (Bronx, NY/Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice) picked up 23^rd place in the event in 27.10.

The Gators also took sixth in the 4 x 400 relay in 3:45.49 as Williams, Richardson, sophomore Michael Cichy (Selkirk, NY/Broadalbin-Perth) and Burnett ran for RSC.