Isaiah Brunache Honored with SUNYAC's Dr. Sam Molnar Award
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Cortland's Men's Track and Field student-athlete Isaiah Brunache is the recipient of the 2026 SUNYAC Dr. Sam Molnar award. This award is nominated and voted on by the member institutions and is presented annually to a senior athlete with the best combination of academic and athletic ability with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.30.
Brunache, Cortland men's track and field thrower, was a seven-time All-American (outdoor shot put national runner-up in 2023 and 2025, indoor weight throw 5th place in 2026, indoor shot put 7th place in 2026, indoor weight throw 7th place in 2025, outdoor discus 8th place in 2026, indoor shot put 8th place in 2025). He also qualified nationally for outdoor shot put in 2026 (18th place), outdoor discus in 2024 (18th place), outdoor shot put in 2024 (20th place), indoor shot put in 2023 (20th place), and indoor shot put and weight throw in 2024 (did not compete due to injury).
Brunache is Cortland's record holder in the indoor weight throw (19.85 meters), indoor shot put (17.57 meters) and outdoor shot put (18.21 meters). He was a three-time USTFCCCA Niagara Region Field Athlete of the Year (2025 outdoors, 2026 indoors, 2026 outdoors), an 18-time All-Niagara Region (indoor shot put four times, indoor weight throw four times, outdoor discus four times, outdoor hammer throw twice, outdoor shot put four times), a five-time AARTFC champion and two-time runner-up (plus six other AARTFC top-8 finishes).
Brunache was the 2026 AARTFC Outdoor Most Outstanding Athlete of the Meet. He was an eight-time SUNYAC champion, six-time runner-up and was third place twice (17 total All-SUNYAC honors). Brunache was a three-time SUNYAC Field Athlete of the Year (2025 outdoors, 2026 indoors, 2026 outdoors). He was the 2024 and 2025 SUNYAC Outdoor Championship and 2026 SUNYAC Indoor Championship Most Valuable Performer of the Meet. Brunache was also the 2023 SUNYAC Rookie of the Year.
Brunache graduated with a degree in exercise science maintaining a 3.91 overall GPA. He was 2025 CSC First Team Academic All-American and two-time (2024 and 2025) CSC Academic All-District. Brunache was a five-time SUNY Scholar Athlete of the Year (three indoor, two outdoor) and four-time SUNYAC Scholar Athlete of the Year (two indoor, two outdoor).
This award is named after the late Dr. Sam Molnar, who was the Director of Athletics at Potsdam for over thirty years. He also coached various sports during this period. He served as SUNYAC President during the 1962-63 and 1963-64 years. Click here to see past winners.
