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Men's Cross Country and Track and Field Announces Newcomers
ITHACA, N.Y. – George Heekin '29 Head Coach of Men's Track and Field and Cross Country Adrian Durant announce the addition of 18 newcomers to both the men's cross country and track and field teams. Morgan Cupp, Greg Fusco, Matthew Fusco, James Granata, Shane Johnson, Caleb McCurdy, Alex Mocarski, Saano Murembya and Marek Nowak will compete for both teams. Tony Bridges, Ian Frost, Paris Howland, Dan Mead, Kuune Mini, William Powers, Darius Scott, Johannes Stromhaug and Benjamin Waynescott will be solely on the track and field team. "This group of freshmen is ambitious, enthusiastic and will certainly make an immediate impact within the league," Durant said. "The goal is always to identify individuals who can buy into the team's overall mission, to win the Ivy HEPS. I believe that is what this class represents, a group that certainly wants to win and that is striving to be the best."
Tony Bridges – Jumps – Information Science (Pine Crest HS) Lauderhill, Fla.
Before Cornell
Bridges had a stellar high school career at Pine Crest High School, where he was a four time letterwinner on the varsity track and field team.
He placed in the top seven on two separate occasions in the Junior Olympics for triple jump.
Was the 2018 district, city, regional and state champion in both long jump and triple jump.
Finished as a runner-up in the Florida outdoor state meet in 2017.
Competed for Broward Elite, which he twice earned USATF All-America honors for in the triple jump in 2015 and 2017.
His personal bests are 48'3.5 for triple jump and 23'3 for long jump.
Member of the Spanish Honors Society in 2016.
Morgan Cupp – Distance – Undecided (Mechanicsburg Area Senior HS) Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Before Cornell
Was a four-year letterwinner in cross country and track and field at Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School, where he captained both squads his junior and senior years.
In addition to claiming the 2017 Division 3 AAA title for cross country, he earned two state medals over the course of his high school career.
Earned a state medal in the 3200, finishing seventh in the state meet in 2018.
As a senior, he was named the PennLive and Carlisle Sentinel Male Runner of the Year for cross country.
His personal bests are 4:19.60 for 1600m, 9:31.40 for 3200m, and 15:24 for the 5000m in cross country.
Ian Frost – Throws – Biological Science (Mary M. Knight HS) Matlock, Wash.
Before Cornell
Was a four-time letterwinner at Mary M. Knight High School in hammer, discus, shot put, javelin and the 4x100 relay.
Set the 1B state record and earned two state titles and two runner-up finishes amongst his 8 state medals throughout his high school career.
In 2017, he was the Junior Olympic runner-up.
In 2018, Frost was ranked fourth in the nation.
Frost's personal bests are 216'4 for hammer throw and 178'4 for discus.
Also, was a three-time letterwinner in football, which he captained his sophomore and junior seasons.
Named his team's offensive most valuable player his freshman and junior seasons and the defensive most valuable player his sophomore and junior seasons.
Despite his busy athletic schedule, he managed to earn his Associate of Science concurrently with his high school diploma.
Greg Fusco – Distance – Information Science. (Somers Senior HS) Somers, N.Y.
Before Cornell
Fusco was a four-time letterwinner in cross country and track and field at Somers Senior High School, where he captained both squads his junior and senior seasons.
Earned all-league honors nine times, all-county nine times, all-section seven times, all-state six times, all-federation five times and winning four county championships and six sectional championships.
In addition to being a three-time county champion, Fusco was named All-Westchester County 17 times.
He qualified for nine state meets and four national championship meets.
Personal bests: 4:12.54 for 1600m, 9:04.56 for 3200m, and 15:43.40 for the 5000m in cross country.
Named to school's high honor roll.
Matthew Fusco – Distance – Undecided (Somers Senior HS) Somers, N.Y.
Before Cornell
Four-year member of the Somers Senior High School cross country and track and field teams.
He earned all-league honors eight times, all-county honors eight times, all-section honors six times, all-state honors six times, all-federation honors five times, and was All-American in the 5000m.
Fusco was a six-time county champion, six-time sectional champion, and four-time national qualifier.
Personal bests: 9:06.34 for 3200m, 9:34.91 for 3k Steeple, 15:00.45 for 5000m, and 15:37.80 for the 5000m in cross country.
In addition to being named to the High Honor Roll all four years of high school, he was also a member of the National Honor Society.
James Granata – Distance – Undecided (Minisink Valley High School) Westtown, N.Y.
Before Cornell
Was a two-time letterwinner in cross country and a four-time letterwinner in track and field at Minisink Valley High School.
Two-time captain in cross country and a three-time captain in track and field.
Earned the Section IX title in the 3200m his junior year and qualified for the New York State meet five times.
Was named his high school track and field team's most valuable player on three separate occasions,
He holds school records in the 3200m, Distance Medley Relay, and 4x800m Relay.
His personal bests are 4:19 for 1600m and 9:20 for 3200m.
Was a member of the National Honors Society.
Paris Howland – Jumps/Multis – Biology (The Westminster School) Atlanta, Ga.
Before Cornell
Howland had an exceptional high school career at The Westminster School.
Captured two Georgia 3A state titles in the long jump and the high jump.
In 2018, he was named the 3A most valuable athlete.
His personal bests include a long jump of 23'7, a high jump of 6'7, and a decathlon score of 6559.
Also was a two-time all-region basketball star.
Shane Johnson -- Mid-Distance – Mechanical Engineering (Valley Stream North High School) Valley Stream, N.Y.
Before Cornell
Was a four-year member of the track and field team at Valley Stream North High School and a three-year member of the cross country team.
Johnson competed in a variety of middle distance events in high school, earning two all-conference awards and four all-county awards, including winning the 600m county championship.
In 2018, he earned all-state and all-federation awards during the indoor track season.
As a senior, Johnson was named captain for both cross country and track and field.
His personal bests include: 51 for 400m and 1:23.8 for 600m
A member of the math, science and language honor societies, he served as vice president of the national honor society.
Caleb McCurdy – Distance – Biomedical Engineering (Homeschooled) Sterling, Va.
Before Cornell
McCurdy compiled some impressive accolades, highlighted by winning the 2017 AAU Cross Country national championship.
Additionally, he is the ODACS 1600m state record holder, and qualified for the DMV Meet of Champions.
Three-time team captain for cross country and was the captain of the track team in 2018.
He holds personal bests of 4:03.05 for 1500m, 9:28 for 3200m, and 15:19 for 5000m.
Off the track, McCurdy is an Eagle Scout with Bronze Palm, a Congressional Award Bronze Medalist, and National AP Scholar.
Dan Mead – Throws – Biology. (Christian Brothers Academy) Long Branch, N.J.
Before Cornell
Mead was a four-year member of both the indoor and outdoor track and field teams at Christian Brothers Academy.
Placed 13th at New Balance Nationals twice in the shot put.
His personal best in shot put is 60'4.5, and for discus it's 174'11.
Kuune Mini – Sprints – Biology (Marietta HS) Marietta, Ga.
Before Cornell
Mini joins the Big Red after a stellar high school career at Marietta high school.
His 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams placed amongst the top in the state and nation throughout his high school career.
He holds personal bests of 10.8 for 100m, 21.6 for 200m, and 48.0 for 400m.
Mini also played soccer in high school.
Alex Mocarski – Mid-Distance – Undecided (Fairfield Warde HS) Fairfield, Conn.
Before Cornell
Mocarski was a four-year member of the cross country and track and field teams at Fairfield Warde High School, which captained his junior and senior seasons.
His personal bests include 1:55 for 800m and 4:12.87 for 1600m.
Played hockey for 10 years before switching to running in high school.
He speaks fluent Polish.
Saano Murembya – Mid-Distance – Computer Science (Okemos HS) Okemos, Mich.
Before Cornell
Murembya was a four-time letterwinner in cross country and track and field at Okemos High School.
Is a versatile athlete, contributing from the 400m in track all the way up to the 5000m in cross country in high school.
In 2016, he earned all-state honors in both track and cross country.
His personal bests are 51.0 for 400m, 1:54 for 800m and 15:36 for the 5000m in cross country.
Marek Nowak – Mid-distance – Biological Sciences (Rye HS) Rye, N.Y.
Before Cornell
Nowak was a four-year member of the cross country and track and field teams at Rye High School.
Was the Westchester County 1600m champion in indoor track in 2018.
Named all-Section I in both cross country and track and field.
He holds personal bests of 4:20.4 for 1600m and 1:58 for 800m.
He is trilingual, speaking Polish and Spanish in addition to English.
A four-year high honor roll student, Nowak was a member of the National Honor Society.
William Powers – Sprints – Applied Economics and Management (Winnicunnet HS) Seabrook, N.H.
Before Cornell
While at Winnicunnet high school, he was a five-time New England champion, and earned all-American status in 2018 for the 110m hurdles at New Balance Nationals.
Powers earned the prestigious honor of being named New Hampshire's Gatorade Athlete of the Year for track and field on two separate occasions.
His personal best in the 110 hurdles is 13.93, and he has run 54.36 for the 400 hurdles.
Darius Scott – Jumps – Biological Sciences (South Effingham HS) Rincon, Ga.
Was a four-time letterwinner for the track and field squad at South Effingham High School.
Claimed the AAU Junior Olympic triple jump national championship in the summer of 2018, where he set a new personal record by nearly two feet, leaping 50'6.75.
He holds a personal best in the long jump of 22'8.
Scott captured the Region 2 5A triple jump title as well as the state 5A title.
His best mark set the county record in triple jump.
Also lettered in basketball and football.
Was a recipient of the Wendy's Heisman Award.
Johannes Stromhaug – Jumps – Physics (Vestal HS) Vestal, N.Y.
Was a four-year member of the track and field team at Vestal High School.
He placed at the New York State meet several times, and qualified for New Balance Nationals four times.
He holds a personal best of 15'8 for pole vault.
Benjamin Waynescott – Jumps – Economics (North Harrison HS) Depauw, Ind.
Waynescott comes in having already established himself as an elite high jumper, winning Sectional, Regional, and State titles throughout his career at North Harrison high school.
On top of his track accolades, he was also a place kicker for his football team, with a longest make of 55 yards.
His personal best in the high jump is 6'7.
