With the spring sports season progressing to the playoffs and graduation around the corner, it’s time to take stock of a few Big 30 area graduates making a big impact at the collegiate level:
— For the first time since 2018, the University at Albany is in the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament. And Amos Whitcomb, a 2021 Salamanca High School graduate, is one of the reasons why.
Whitcomb, a junior attack man for the Great Danes, scored a goal in the third quarter of Saturday’s America East Tournament championship game against Vermont, where the top-seeded Danes won on their home field as a No. 1 seed, holding off the Catamounts 12-11.
The Danes (10-7) won their first NCAA game, the “Opening Round,” Wednesday, beating Sacred Heart 13-7. Now one of 16 Division I teams remaining in the country, next up for Albany is a trip to South Bend, Indiana, to play No. 1 overall seed Notre Dame in the NCAA First Round Sunday at 5 p.m. (ESPNU).
Whitcomb had a breakout freshman season two years ago with 17 goals and nine assists in 2022, making the America East All-Rookie team, and appears to be back in that strong form statistically as a junior. In total this season, Whitcomb has appeared in 15 games, starting nine of them, including the last seven. His 12 goals rank eighth on the team and nine assists rank fifth.
In high school, Whitcomb dominated as a three-year captain, leading his team to a Section 6 championship in 2021.
Whitcomb is part of a recent trend of Salamanca High School athletes, from the Seneca Nation, making the Division I lacrosse level with Albany under coach Scott Marr. His former high school teammate, Keelan Seneca, played from 2020-23 at Albany. Another Warrior, 2024 senior Tayoni Galante, is headed to Albany in the fall.
— Allegany-Limestone graduate Lilianna Peters is wrapping up her first collegiate track and field season in style, winning the North Atlantic Conference (Division III) Rookie of the Year award for SUNY Cobleskill.
Peters, a Hinsdale native, won two events at the NAC Outdoor conference championships April 28-29 in Oneonta. She won the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a league record time (11:54.76) and the 5,000-meter run (19:34.99).
In a Cobleskill press release, coach Zach Haskin commended the first-year Fighting Tigers runner.
“Exceptionally happy on what Lilly has already accomplished in her young career with a great performance at the league championship meet winning the steeplechase in a record time then doubling back to win the 5000-meters,” Haskin said.
