SUNYAC Announces 2025 Women's Outdoor Track & Field Top Awards
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The SUNYAC announces its 2025 Women's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, Field Athlete of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Coaching Staff of the Year awards as voted on by the conference coaches.
Track Athlete of the Year – Miranda Cole, Delhi
Cole has the second fastest 100-meter time in SUNYAC history, she broke the old record from the 1980s only to be outdone by her own teammate. She was the anchor leg for the conference record breaking 4x100 relay team that won them a SUNYAC title. She also won the 200-meter dash and was third in the 100-meter. Cole went on to finish second in the 200-meter dash at the NCAA championship meet. Cole and her team also placed fifth in the 4x100 relay and she finished 15th in the 100-meter dash.
Field Athlete of the Year – Makhia Laster, Buffalo State
Laster repeats as the SUNYAC Women's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year. Laster won the conference title in the long jump for the second year in a row. She went on to finish 21st in the event at the NCAA Division III championship meet. Laster also finished fourth in the 100-meter dash as the SUNYAC meet.
Rookie of the Year – Shaesha Johnson, Delhi
Johnson broke the conference record in the 100-meter dash at the AARTFC championships and went on to finish 11th at the NCAAs. She was a part of the 4x100 relay team that also broke the conference record, won the SUNYAC title and finished fifth at the NCAA championship meet. At the conference meet, Johnson also finished second in the 100-meter and third in the 200-meter dash.
Women's Outdoor Track & Field Coaching Staff of the Year – Cortland
Head coach Steve Patrick is assisted by Chad Dunham, Peter McGinnis, Curtis Merrick, Maris Seabury, Mitch Makowski and Marissa Formes-Patrick. In 2025, the coaching staff guided their team to the program's 18th overall conference crown and first since 2014. Twenty Red Dragons were honored on the SUNYAC All-Conference teams for finishing in the top three at the conference championship meet.
