ROCHESTER, NY – Sophomore George Mecca (Derby, NY/Eden) earned All-Empire 8 Second Team Honors on Saturday afternoon as the Alfred University men's track & field team finished fifth out of the six teams competing at St. John Fisher College.
 
Mecca ran a time of 58.33 for a career-high in the 400-meter hurdles, finishing second and earning a team-high eight points. Senior Rashid Abuelmaali (Latham, NY/Shaker) followed with two points to make a team-high 10 points in a single event as he ran a 1:00.91 for fifth place on Saturday.
 
"George had a strong personal best and with Rashid right behind him, it made the 400 hurdles a fun and exciting race to watch," Head Coach Dr. Angie Taylor said. "There were some outcomes that we wish we could have had gone differently for sure, but with such a shortened season, myself and the rest of the coaching staff as well as the athletes that will be here next year see a lot of hope and promise for things to come. We still have AARTFC in a week and a half and we plan to utilize this time to tone things up and get prepared for another exciting meet!"
 
The Alfred University Saxons scored 26 team points. Besides the 10 points from the 400-meter hurdles as well as the five points from Friday's 4x800-meter relay and Kyle Full (Akron, NY/Akron) 3,000-meter steeplechase, the Saxons scored points in four other events, including two relays.
 
Five points were attributed to senior Sean Foley (Ransomville, NY/Lewiston-Porter) in his pole vault as he tied for third with a height of 4.10m. The 4x400-meter relay ended the meet with a time of 3:37.94 for four points from the team of Connor Kerr (Tioga, PA/Williamson), Abuelmaali, Chris Mayo (Wolcott, NY/North Rose-Wolcott) and Mecca.
 
The 4x100-meter relay team of Abuelmaali, Jackson Trimboli (Arkport, NY/Arkport Central), John Wendt (Lewiston, NY/Lewiston-Porter) and Kerr ran a 46.90 for sixth place and one point, closing out the team scoring for Alfred University.
 
Alfred University will next take its qualifiers to the All-Atlantic Regional Track & Field Outdoor Championships held at St. John Fisher College on Wednesday, May 19 and Thursday as well.