https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Averill-Park-grad-Rudy-Winkler-tries-to-go-back-12920889.php
Averill Park grad Rudy Winkler tries to go back to NCAAs
Rutgers graduate student after one more All-America certificate, second weight throw title
Published 9:13 pm, Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Rudy Winkler has his eyes set on winning his second straight hammer throw title at the Division I NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships next month and, along with that, he's hoping to earn his fourth straight All-America certificate. And, he's doing it in a different uniform.
The graduate student from Sand Lake (Averill Park High) captured the hammer as a senior at Cornell last spring with a toss of 243 feet, 2 inches. He finished eighth as a sophomore and was runner-up as a junior. He didn't compete outdoors as a freshman. And, he finished 18th in the hammer at the Rio Olympics in 2016. So, with another year of eligibility outdoors, Winkler went to Rutgers.
Last weekend, at the Big Ten Championships in Bloomington, Ind., he finished first with a toss of 242-3. That currently stands third in the East and fourth in the country. He hopes to advance after the East Regionals on May 24-26 in Tampa, Fla., to the Nationals June 6-8 in Eugene, Ore.
Briana Matazinsky (Valley Falls)
The senior was named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference first team for the third straight season for her play with the Manhattan softball team, the Jaspers finishing 28-25 after going 2-2 and seeing the season end with a 2-1 loss to Marist in the league tourney last Friday in West Long Branch, N.J. The Tamarac High graduate, who was named to the All-Tournament team, led the Jaspers with a .342 average on 53 hits in 155 at-bats. She had 11 doubles, a triple, four home runs, 34 runs scored and 28 runs batted in. She also pitched and was 11-10 with a save and a 2.27 earned-run average in 26 games and 24 starts. In 142 innings, she gave up 131 hits and 60 runs, 46 earned, with 29 walks and 65 strikeouts.
Marisa Sholtes (Albany)
The 6-foot junior first baseman was named to the Southern Conference first team for her big season with the North Carolina-Greensboro softball team. The Spartans are 46-11 and will face No. 9 seed South Carolina in the NCAA Regionals on Friday in Columbia, S.C. The Colonie High graduate started all 57 games and led the team with a .373 average (63-for-169). She also led in doubles (16), home runs (16) and runs batted in (54). Sholtes has eight errors in 428 chances (.981) at first base.
Aidan Tooker (Saratoga Springs)
The Syracuse sophomore finished second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Atlantic Coast Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships last weekend in Coral Gables, Fla. His time was 8 minutes, 48.13 seconds. The Saratoga High graduate also finished fourth in the 5,000 in 14:02.42. Tooker finished second in the 3,000 (8:04.29) and seventh in the 5,000 (14:14.16) at the ACC Indoor Championships from Feb. 22-24 in Clemson, S.C.
Hunter Levesque (Troy)
The outfielder was named to the ACC All-Freshman team after a solid season with the Pittsburgh softball squad, the Panthers finishing 33-18-1 after bowing out of the ACC Tournament with a 5-4 loss to Florida State last Saturday in Atlanta, Ga. The Troy High graduate was the team's third-leading hitter with a .305 average (40-for-131). She had four doubles, four home runs, 28 runs scored and 20 RBIs. She was 6-for-6 in stolen bases and made two errors in 60 chances (.967).
Mike D'Amario (Niskayuna)
The senior attack scored a goal in his final game with the Virginia men's lacrosse team but the 12-6 Cavaliers dropped a 14-12 decision to Loyola (Md.) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last Saturday in Baltimore. The Niskayuna High graduate scored 32 goals and had three assists this season. In 53 career games and 33 starts, he had 83 goals and 18 assists for 101 points.
Lily Sencer (Troy)
The freshman was named to the America East All-Rookie team for her play with the Hartford softball team, the Hawks suffering through a 10-32 season with a 0-18 mark in league play. The Cohoes High graduate hit .326 (44-for-135) with a double, triple, four runs batted in and a team-high 22 runs scored. She also was 10-for-12 in stolen bases and in the field, she made four errors in 99 chances (.960).
