NEC All-Conference Awards
SOMERSET, N.J. – The LIU Brooklyn men's and women's track teams have earned six major Northeast Conference awards, including Men's Coaching Staff of the Year, following their outstanding performances at the 2016 NEC Indoor Track & Field Championships, announced the conference office on Thursday. The men successfully defended their title in February, achieving a three-peat performance at the NEC Indoor Championships with 158 points, while the women earned 143 to reclaim silver, just seven points shy of gold.
Men's Most Outstanding Track Performer: Brendon Rodney
Rodney earns his third straight Most Outstanding Track Performer accolade of his impressive LIU career. In the 60m dash, he flew into first in 6.78, a new personal best, to defend his title and earn all-conference first team honors. The Ontario native made the all-conference first team for his record-breaking performance in his signature event, the 200m dash. His NEC indoor championship time of 20.46 was the fastest in the world at the time for this year.
Women's Most Outstanding Track Performer: Cassandra Jones
In her inaugural year as a Blackbird, Cassandra Jones was named the Most Outstanding Women's Sprinter following her gold performance in the 500m dash, crossing the line at 1:14.18, an Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) qualifying time and earned her a spot on the all-conference first team.
Most Outstanding Field Performer: Adam Walker-Khan
Adam Walker-Khan continued to add to the Blackbirds' lead with his triple jump win, jumping a season best 14.71m. His title in the triple jump, the second of his career, coupled with his gold finish in the long jump of 7.16m on day one, earned the British product the 2016 NEC Indoor Most Outstanding Men's Jumper and first team accolades in both events. This is the junior's third time winning Most Outstanding Field Performer as a Blackbird.
Most Outstanding Field Performer: Kyaira Wright-Harmon
This is Wright-Harmon's second consecutive year being named the Most Outstanding Field Performer after successfully defending her titles in both the high jump and triple jump. The Garden State product earned all-conference first team honors for the high jump and triple jump, taking gold in both events and the senior garnered her second consecutive Field Athlete of the Meet honor. She was victorious in the high jump with a mark of 1.67m. In the triple jump, she jumped 11.80m, defending her title from last season.
Most Outstanding Rookie: Caleb Williams
Second team:
Came in second to teammate and defending 60m champion Rodney, with a time of 6.82, earning him not only all-conference second team honors, but also a spot on the All-Rookie Team. Williams also earned a spot on the All-Rookie Team for his fifth place finish in the 200m, clocking 21.95 as LIU boasts the top-five finishers in the event.
Coaching Staff of the Year: LIU Brooklyn (Simon Hodnett)
Head track and field coach Simon Hodnett and his staff have received the Coaching Staff of the Year Award five times in his tenure at LIU. The first two were in 2010, when he won this honor for both the men's and women's indoor track teams. He went on to earn the award two more times in 2011 for the women's indoor team and 2014 for men's indoor track and field. Hodnett and his coaching staff receive this award once again following the men's third consecutive indoor title in 2016.
Alistair McLean, Mica-Jonathan Petit-Homme, Anise Cuffee, Gabriella Ade-Onojobi, Stephanie Aidoo and Elizabeth Adesanya are also members of the 2016 All-Conference First Team. Alistair McLean successfully defended his 400m dash title, defeating fellow Blackbirds Cajuste and Rodney by less than one second. McLean crossed the line at 48.35 to clinch gold and a spot on the all-conference first team. Mica-Jonathan Petit-Homme was named to the first team for the fourth year in a row after going undefeated in the 500m dash at the NEC Championships for his LIU career. The senior set a new meet record and personal best in the event, crossing the line at 1:02.76. Anise Cuffee spearheaded the Blackbirds' one-two-four finish in the 60m dash. The senior crossed the finish line at 7.64 to claim first and an ECAC qualifying time. Gabriella Ade-Onojobi captured her second 60m hurdles title. As the top seed in the event, the London native crossed the line at 8.51 to earn first team honors for the second year in a row. Another first team honoree was Stephanie Aidoo, who set a new meet record with her 24.48 time in the 200m dash, winning gold in the event and adding another 10 points to LIU's score. Elizabeth Adesanya who placed first in the 400m dash with her time of 55.97, set a personal best in the event and earned first team honors.
The second team honorees from LIU for their respective finishes include Tyler Cue, Karl Cajuste, Gabriella Ade-Onojobi and Stephanie Aidoo. Tyler Cue finished behind defending champion Rodney in the 200 to earn second team honors with his time of 21.40. Junior Karl Cajuste clinched silver by less than one second behind LIU teammate and two-time 400m champion, McLean, to earn a spot on the all-conference second team. Ade-Onojobi finished second in the 60m dash, just 0.04 second behind Cuffee at 7.68, an ECAC qualifying time, to earn second team honors. Cuffee also earned a spot on the all-conference second team for her 200m performance of 24.83. In the 400m, Aidoo clocked 56.20, which brought her silver in the event and second team honors.
Freshman Deshawne Bunion was named to the All-Rookie team for his performances in the 400 and 500m dashes. The rookie placed fifth in the 400 with a time of 49.52 and claimed eighth in the 500m dash, crossing the finish line at 1:08.48 to garner all-conference honors.