CUNYAC Community College Programs Off to Outstanding Start in 2018-19 Season

FLUSHING, N.Y. (Nov. 20, 2018) - It has been a spectacular start to the 2018-19 season for the CUNYAC's community college programs. Let's re-visit their accomplishments to this point. Kingsborough's James Named NJCAA Cross Country Individual Naional Champion Nearly a week after running the top time at the CUNYAC Championships, Kingsborough Community College sophomore runner Tyesha James achieved the feat on the national stage, winning the 5k in 19:30.83 at the 2018 NJCAA Division III Championships at Stanley Park. James, who earned NJCAA All-America first-team distinction for her efforts, averaged an impressive 3:54.2 mile and ran five seconds faster than the second-place finisher at the meet. Her time of 19:30.83 was also a personal-best in the 5k. In 2018, James earned no less than a sixth-place finish at any meet she competed in. She came in first in the 6k at the CSI Invitational on Sept. 30 and had a runner-up showing at the York Invitational a week earlier. Queensborough Women's Volleyball Wins NJCAA Region XV and District G Championships The Queensborough Community College women's volleyball team won the 2018 NJCAA Region XV Championship, knocking off Orange and Nassau by 3-0 scorelines in the semifinals and final, respectively. The Tigers also punched their ticket to the NJCAA Division III National Championship, after capturing the District G crown. Sophomore sensation Paola Beniquez was tabbed as the NJCAA Region XV Tournament Most Valuable Player, while sophomores Maria Veliz Thol and Angie Nicholes were named to the All-Tournament Team. Queensborough then reached the national tournament, where it opened play with a thrilling 3-2 win over No. 9 seed SUNY Broome, before falling to top-seeded and No. 1 ranked Owens in three sets. The following day, the Tigers completed their second-consecutive eighth-place finish, after a 3-1 loss to Rock Valley and a five-set defeat against Jamestown in the seventh-place match. Beniquez claimed a spot on the NJCAA Division III National All-Tournament Team. Beniquez had double-digit kills and tallied double-doubles in three of the team's four tournament matches, led by a 21-kill, 18-dig performance versus Jamestown.

Queensborough wrapped up the 2018 campaign at 29-4 overall and a flawless 8-0 against CUNYAC opposition. The Tigers went on to capture a fourth-consecutive CUNYAC Championship, in addition to a third-straight NJCAA Region XV and NJCAA Division III District Championship.

Hostos Women's Basketball Enters 2018-19 Season at No. 1 in NJCAA Preseason Rankings The NJCAA Division III Women's Basketball Poll Commitee recently announced its preseason rankings for the 2018-19 season, and defending national champion Hostos Community College headlined the poll. The Caimans had a year to remember last season, winning the CUNYAC and NJCAA Region XV Championship, in addition to an NJCAA Division III National Championship. Hostos, which finished the season at an impressive 28-2 overall, outscored its opponents by nearly a 2-to-1 margin in 2017-18. The Caimans averaged 85.4 points per game, while limiting the opposition to just 48.2 points per contest. Sophomore forward Kayla Wilson took the country by storm a season ago, earning CUNYAC, NJCAA Region XV and NJCAA Division III National Player of the Year accolades. Wilson averaged a double-double as a rookie, scoring 18.2 points and pulling down 13.1 rebounds per game. She led the nation in offensive rebounds (217) and had the sixth-best field-goal percentage (.581) in Division III. At the NJCAA Division III National Championship, Wilson went off for a season-best 38-point effort in a semifinal victory over UConn-Avery Point. The next day, Wilson collected 22 points and 13 rebounds in the national title game against Rock Valley, en route to being named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. BMCC Men's Basketball Remains Undefeated With 115-95 Rout of No. 1 Brookdale Led by the backcourt duo of Terrell Fullerton and Quran Dublin, Borough of Manhattan Community College ignited for a season-high in scoring in a 115-95 victory against No. 1 ranked Brookdale Community College at BMCC Gymnasium. In the first half, the score remained close as the two teams' dynamic offenses took turns going on scoring runs. BMCC would stretch the lead to as many as 10 points in the first half, on a Fullerton lay-up at the 5:21 mark, and entered halftime leading 58-52. The Brookdale offense came out firing in the second half and quickly tied the score at 65-65, but the Panthers answered with a 9-0 run. Alex Humphreys and Dublin knocked down back-to-back threes to spark the outburst. Viktor Kovacevic capped it off with a pair of free throws. BMCC then pushed the lead to double digits and began controlling the tempo. Down the stretch, Fullerton went a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line, while the Panthers defense held firm, allowing just one point in the final four minutes. A 2016-17 All-American, Fullerton had a career-best performance with 42 points and 17 assists. Dublin, the reigning CUNYAC Player of the Year, also reached a career-high in scoring, shooting 13-of-19 from the field with eight three-pointers for a 37-point effort. While the top-ranked team in the nation did not have an answer for the Panthers guards, the BMCC frontcourt comprised of Kovacevic and Ashan Adams were dominant, as they both recorded a double-double in points and rebounds. After sinking a three-pointer in the final minutes to seal the victory, Humphreys finished the game with nine points.

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