WEEK of: APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2008
New Jersey City University
freshman
DEAN McCLEESE (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) is the NJCU Men's Athlete of the Week for the fourth time this season and was also named the
New Jersey Athletic Conference Men’s Outdoor Rookie of the Week—his third weekly conference award in seven weeks to open his outdoor career at NJCU.
McCleese, who was previously named the NJAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week on two occasions during week four and five (April 14, April 21), earns Rookie of the Week laurels for the first time in his career. It is the fifth weekly award by a member of the men’s outdoor track and field team this season, including four Track Athlete of the Week selections.
For McCleese, it is his second Rookie of the Week pick of the 2007-08 athletic year. He earned Indoor Men’s Rookie of the Week honors on February 11 (week six).
McCleese takes home weekly NJAC accolades after becoming the first NJCU men’s outdoor athlete to ever be voted the New Jersey Athletic Conference Outstanding Male Track Athlete of the Year at the 2008 NJAC Championship meet, hosted by Richard Stockton College on May 3 in Pomona, NJ.
McCleese won the 100 and 200-meter dashes and was part of the winning 4x100-meter relay, as NJCU placed third overall of nine schools. He earned First-Team All-NJAC honors in all three events.
McCleese took home the NJAC title in the 100 meters by timing 10.81 seconds, winning by 12/100th of a second after placing third in the preliminary round in 11.05.
McCleese crushed the 19-man field in the 200-meters in 22.07 seconds, 37/100th of a second better than anyone. While not a personal best, he still owns the 14th fastest time in the country this season in the event, previously timing 21.63 on April 20 (CTC Championships).
McCleese capped his efforts at the NJAC Championships by running the second leg of the 4x100-meter relay which obliterated the field by a staggering 1.84 seconds while posting the ninth best time in the nation this season on the 2008 NCAA provisional qualifying list, clocking 41.41 seconds. It was the third fastest time in NJAC history.
