NEW ORLEANS – The USTFCCCA has released its weekly regional and national rankings in Div. III and the SUNY Oneonta track & field programs continue to have a presence in both.  The women's team moved up one spot to #15 while the men jumped 71 spots to just outside the top-25.  Both teams had top performances at Boston University that allowed the continued ranking for the women while allowing the men to make such a huge jump.

For the women, senior Sarah Timmons (Schodack/Maple Hill) continues to lead Div. III in the 20-lb. weight throw with her distance of 18.40 meters (60'-4.50”).  After this past weekend the gap in the event closed a bit where her lead over the next athlete has shrunk from three feet to three inches.

Junior Kacy Boburka (Binghamton/Chenango Valley) is fifth in the high jump as the only other women's athlete to be in the top-10 in any event.  Her height of 1.70 meters (5'-7”) is just ¼' out of the #4 spot.

After her performance in the 800 meters this past weekend, senior Lauren Brunetto (Fishkill/Beacon) is sitting at #12 in Div. III.  The two-time All-American ran a time of 2:14.75 at Boston University.

The women are one of only two SUNYAC schools in this week's ranking.  Buffalo State jumped from #23 to #10 after the weekend.  Buffalo's point total is 56.49 while Oneonta's is 40.33.

Regionally, the women moved up two spots to #8 with a point total of 100.57.  Three athletes are ranked in the top-8 in their respective events.  Timmons is #1 in the weight throw and #7 in the shot put.  Boburka is #1 in the high jump while Brunetto is #2 in the 800.

While being just outside the top-25 nationally in the #26 spot, the men moved up 16 spots in the Atlantic Region to #6 thanks to the outstanding performances this past weekend at Boston University.

Topping the list once again is junior Sean Bernstein (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker), who ran personal best times in both the 60-meter and 200-meter dashes.  He made the final in the 60 with a PR in the semifinals of 6.92 seconds.  His time is currently tied for the fifth fastest time this season in Div. III while being #1 in the region.

Later in the meet, he set a school record in the 200 while missing the SUNYAC record by .03 when he ran a time of 21.49.  The 200 is not an NCAA championship event during indoor season, but his time will carry over to the outdoor season where he will certainly be amongst the leaders in Div. III.

Bernstein also ran the leadoff leg for the 4x400-meter relay, which clocked a time of 3:17.36.  In 2009, Oneonta won the national championship in this event and are currently sitting in the fourth spot nationally and the top spot regionally with a time of 3:19.36.  Rounding out the foursome are seniors Sean Wren (Delanson/Duanesburg) and Jesse Dobson (Farmingville/Sachem East) and freshman Rob Farrell (Carmel/Mahopac).

Wren, Dobson and Farrell both ran personal best times in their individual events at BU.  Wren (49.26) and Dobson (50.48) ran their best times in the 400-meter dash while Farrell ran a PR in the 200 of 22.66.

Regionally, Wren is 5th in the 400 and Farrell is 6th in the hurdles.

In the middle distance and distance events, Oneonta has three runners in the top-8 regionally.  Sophomore Tom Haskins (Tully/Tully) and freshman David Bohunicky (Johnson City/Maine-Endwell) are 4th and 8th respectively in the 800.  Junior John Longo (Endwell/Maine-Endwell) is 8th in the region in the 5,000 meters with his personal best time of 15:07.82, which he ran at BU this past weekend.  Haskins time of 1:55.34 and Bohunicky's time of 1:55.69 in the 800 are personal best times, which they recorded this past weekend as well.  Oneonta's men actually had seven runners under 2:00 this past weekend in the 800.

The national rankings are based on a mathematical formula that uses current national descending order lists from in season performances.  This data is coupled with performance data from the previous year only through this third week, which gives a numerical value.  The purpose and methodology of the rankings is to create an index that showcases the teams that have the best potential of achieving the top spots in the national-title race.

The regional team index uses data provided by TFRRS for only the 2012 indoor season and is a reflection of a team's all-around strength. The regional team index is scored using the current national-team ranking formula as if there were separate regional championships across the country.

The men and women will be in action this weekend at the NYU Team Challenge at the New York Armory.

National & Regional Rankings Page

The 2012 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships will be held in Grinnell, Iowa, on March 9-10.