Cocchio Sets LIU Indoor Mile Record at Fordham Invitational

1/7/05 -- Sophomore Craig Cocchio (Windsor, Ontario) broke the school record in the mile and seniors Ike Cartledge (Forestville, Md.) and Chioma Ukpai (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) qualified for the IC4A/ECAC Championships along with the men's 4x400-meter relay team for Long Island University at the Fordham Invitational in New York.

Cocchio finished in 4:19.23 to establish a new record previously held by Mario Cooper, who raced 4:20.20 in 1984. Cartledge qualified for the IC4A's in the 1000-meter dash, winning with a personal-best time of 2:29.28.

Ukpai is headed to the ECAC's in the 60-meter hurdles by running 8.82 in the final.

The men's 4x400-meter relay team punched its ticket to the IC4A's, finishing second in 3:19.31. The squad consisted of senior Dave Crichlow (Lakewood, N.J.), Leon Stephens (Spanishtown, Jamaica), senior Allandro Pierre (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and junior Bryan Steele (Gaithersburg, Md.).

Freshman Aisha Thomas (Jefferson City, Mo.) won the 200-meter dash in an NEC and personal-best time of 25.32 seconds. She also closed fourth in the 60-meter dash.

LIU returns to action Sunday, January 16 at the Great Dane Classic, also at the New York Armory.