Albany, NY— The Sage Colleges' women's outdoor track and field team had a pair of performers honored on Thursday with the release of the 2019 Empire 8 Track and Field All-Conference Teams. Sage's juniors Skylar Van Alstyne (Castleton, NY/Maple Hill) and Arnoldo Burnett (Bronx, NY/John F. Kennedy) were both recognized as they were named to the Sportsman Team.

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR TEAM

One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2019 Outdoor Track & Field Sportsman of the Year Team. The Empire 8 Conference emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete's experience in conjunction with an institution's educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportsmen.

E8 Men's Sportsman of the Year Team

Sean Waltman, Hartwick

Nathaniel Zedomi, Houghton

Jake Suddaby, Nazareth

Arnoldo (AJ) Burnett, Sage

Ryan DeSautels, St. John Fisher

Parker Dimock, Stevens 

Nick Proper, Utica

E8 Women's Sportsman of the Year Team

Hannah Bosman, Hartwick

Shelby Langlois, Houghton

Gabbie Pighetti, Nazareth

Skylar VanAlstyne, Sage

Clarissa Hensler, St. John Fisher

Melissa Barnes, Stevens

Brittany Charlonne, Utica

On the 2019 season, Sage enjoyed considerable success under the leadership of rookie head coach David Taranto and assistant coach Spencer Patterson.

Earning an at-large spot at the 2019 All-Atlantic Region Track and Field Conference Championships at SUNY-Cortland last month, Van Alstyne competed for the Gators in the shot put and broke the school mark in the event for the fourth time this season. She bettered her previous mark of 10.91 meters as she recorded a throw of 11.06 meters and picked up 20^th place.

Van Alstyne, who also competed in the fall as a member of Sage's women's volleyball team, was a newcomer to the track team this spring. Her 2019 season was a banner one as she established school records in the shot put, discus, and javelin.  She also earned Empire 8 Track and Field Weekly honors over the course of the season.

Burnett competed for the Gators in the sprint events this year as a newcomer at Sage. He was part of two school record relays teams this year as he competed as a member of the Gators' 4 x 100 relay and while running the second leg of the relay at the UAlbany Invitational helped Sage post a time of 45.00. At the same meet, he helped the Gators break the school's 4 x 400 relay as well as he anchored the team that posted a time of 3:36.82.