BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Three LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds earned Northeast Conference track & field weekly honors on Monday afternoon, following record-breaking performances at the Great Dane Classic this past weekend.
Graduate student Brendon Rodney now holds LIU Brooklyn indoor track records in both the 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash. Rodney's performance garnered him his first NEC Men's Track Athlete of the Week honor of 2016. Senior Cassandra Jones' successful finish in the 400-meter helped her to claim the NEC Women's Track Athlete of the Week title for the second time this season. Deshawne Bunion has been named the NEC Men's Rookie of the Week after setting a new personal best in the 400-meter dash on Saturday.
Rodney appears capable of vying for All-America in honors in both the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes this season. The Canadian-born senior, who already owns the NEC record in the 200-meter, smashed a 400-meter program standard that was set by LIU Athletics Hall of Famer more than one decade ago. Competing for the first time this season, Rodney flew to a silver medal in the 400-meter dash at the Great Dane Classic in Staten Island, NY. Crossing the line before all other collegiate competitors, the senior sprinter clocked in at 46.62. The time is the second-fastest by a Division I athlete this season.
Having nabbed NEC honors for her 500-meter prowess earlier this season, Jones reclaims the league's Track Athlete of the Week award for her performance in the 400-meter dash. Jones flew around the track at Ocean Breeze in Staten Island, NY, clocking in at 55.96 to take over the Northeast Conference lead in a second sprinting event. The time, which was good enough for seventh at the talent-loaded Great Dane Classic, is more than 1.0 second under the qualifying standard for the ECAC Championships and stands as one the 60-fastest on the Division I national leader board.
Bunion sprinted his way to an automatic bid for the IC4A Championships in the 400-meter dash. Going up against a stacked field at the Great Dane Classic in Staten Island, NY, the first-year Blackbird clocked in at 48.94 and ascended to third place on the NEC leader board (trailing only his two senior teammates - Brendon Rodney and Alistair McLean). The time currently stands as the 16th-fastest on the IC4A regional performance list. Bunion is the second Blackbird to earn the NEC Rookie of the Week award this season, having taken the honor from fellow freshman sprinter Caleb Williams.
UP NEXT
The Blackbirds are scheduled to compete in the Gotham Cup hosted by Manhattan College on Friday, Jan. 22. This will be the third consecutive meet LIU will attend in Staten Island, N.Y. at the Ocean Breeze Track and Field Complex.