sports
Highlights of the 2016 Lehman Athletic Season
Head Coach Steve Schulman was Named CUNYAC Men’s
Basketball Coach of the Year. His Lightning squad posted an
18-8 overall mark and
a 12-4 record in the
CUNYAC and earned the
top seed in the CUNYAC
Post Season Tournament.
Chaun Miller and
Olando Minott were
named CUNYAC All-Stars.
Miller led the Lightning in
scoring and rebounding
and has scored over 1,000
points in his collegiate
career. Minott ranks in the
top 100 in the nation in
nine different categories.
The Lehman College women’s basketball team, coached by
Eric Harrison, won the CUNYAC regular season title and the
post-season tournament. The thrilling overtime victory over
Brooklyn College earned the Lightning an NCAA bid to the Big
Dance as March Madness took over the APEX and the Lehman
community. Coach Harrison became the winningest coach in
CUNYAC women’s basketball history as his squad posted a
20-8 overall mark. To date he has amassed 272 career coaching
victories in 18 years. Junior standout Amely Del Rosario was
named CUNYAC Player of the Year as well as Tournament MVP.
The Bronx native led the Lightning and CUNY scoring 23.3 points
per game and ranked third in the country in scoring. She was
also voted First Team All-ECAC and First Team at Met. Teammate
Jennifer Navarro led the country in three point shooting, draining
99 trifectas (3.54 per contest) this season. Navarro ends her
career as the second leading scorer in
Lightning history with 1,737 points and
ranks six on the CUNYAC all-time scoring
record. Amani Lightbourne joined Del
Rosario and Navarro as CUNYAC All-Stars.
On the soccer field, Head Coach Casey
Melilli and her charge won the CUNYAC
regular season title for the first time in
school history as the Lightning posted
a 6-0 in league play. Melilli was once
again named Coach of the Year, an honor
bestowed on her after last season as well.
The teams overall record of 14-4 qualified
the Lightning for the ECAC Tournament
for the second straight season. In just their
fourth season in existence, the Lightning
were able to re-write the record books,
setting new school records for wins in a
season (14) and shut-outs (9). Freshman
standout Chelsey Harris earned
CUNYAC Player of the Year honors. She netted an impressive
26 goals to lead CUNYAC and rank among the leaders in the
country in scoring. Several other players were named CUNYAC
All-Stars, including: Lillian Barreto, Daisy Gomez, Michelle
Reyes Ruiz, Samantha Dias, and Gredia Sanchez, who
all claimed First Team honors, while Juliana Generoso and
Pamela Sanchez were named to Second Team.
1. Amely Del Rosario
6. Josh Roman
2. Jennifer Navarro
7. Chelsey Harris
3. Anthony Preda
8. The CUNY champs with
4. Chaun Miller
5. Jo-Marie Aquino
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Lehman Today
CUNY Chancellor
James B. Milliken (far left).
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Brandon Melendez Ruiz was named a CUNYAC All-Star. For
the season, the Yonkers native was credited with six assists to go
along with a team high six goals, including four game-winners in
three consecutive contests. For his efforts he was named CUNYAC
Offensive Player of the Week as well as ECAC Metro Player of the
Week.
The women’s volleyball team was led by Jo-Marie Aquino.
The senior CUNYAC All-Star was one of the top players in the
conference. She led the CUNYAC with an average of 3.82 kills per
set. She also averaged 0.62 service aces per set and 3.97 digs.
She produced 15 double-doubles this season. The team posted a
13-15: 6-2 record and fell in the CUNYAC semi-finals.
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The men’s soccer team
posted an 8-8-1 record
this past fall. Midfielder
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Cross country newcomer Josh Roman cracked the top ten at
the CUNYAC Championships with a ninth place finish running
around the famed Van Courtlandt Park loop. During the season,
the freshman and Bronx native had five top ten finishes. Lehman’s
indoor track standout Jordon Clarke was crowned champion of
the 60-meter hurdles and brought home a gold medal in a time of
8.62.
In the APEX Pool, Jessica Reynoso, Angela Mejia, Gabriela
Rodriguez earned CUNYAC ALL-Star recognition. Rodriguez
claimed the gold medal in the three-meter diving competition.
She also took home a bronze in the one-meter event. During
the season she garnered CUNYAC Diver of the Week on three
different occasions. Reynoso had a brilliant first season with the
Lightning as she also earned gold in the 100-yard breaststroke
to go along with a silver medal in the 200-IM and a pair of bronze
medals in the 50- and 100-freestyle. Mejia captured silver in the
400-IM and bronze in the 50-freestyle. Seven male swimmers
earned All-Star accolades. Anthony Preda captured a gold medal
in the 100- and 200-breaststroke. Ernes Mernica was the gold
medalist in the 400-yard IM. Jeremy Guerra, Carlos Alonso,
Chris Fischer, Ryan Sanchez, and Adam Acevedo were all
recognized as conference All-Stars.
At the Annual Athletic Banquet, Amely Del Rosario (women’s
basketball) was awarded the President’s Award. Chelsey Harris
(women’s soccer) joined Del Rosario as Co-Female Athletes of
the Year. Chaun Miller (men’s basketball) was named the Male
Athlete of the Year. Scholar Athlete of the Year Awards were
presented to Gene Nakagaki (men’s tennis) and Christina
Lousell (women’s swimming). The Pedro Vialet Award was
presented to Olando Minott (men’s basketball). The Paula Soto
Spirit of Athletics Award was presented to Chariny Graciano
(softball). The Charles Greenberg Award was given to Elizabeth
Oladele (women’s swimming) while the Ed Kramer Award was
presented to Gentian Muhaxheri (men’s soccer).
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