B3 ▪
Sports Editor Garrett Collins
SPORTS
▪
Friday, Oct. 22, 2021
Purisic sprints into first year BY GARRETT COLLINS Sports Editor
The SUNY Plattsburgh men’s track and field team are competing once again this fall and with a mix of new and familiar faces. One of the new faces of the team, first year sprinter Deren Purisic, is a local out of Northeastern Clinton Central, and has come 30 miles south to continue his track career to the collegiate level. Like many athletes competing at the D3 level, it wasn’t just the program that brought him so close to home. “It was about money; all about the money,” Purisic said. Although Plattsburgh may not have been his first choice, Purisic has still found a solid group to help him through his first year not only on the track team but as a member of the club rugby team as well. This has helped him become a better runner and racer. “I like to race, I like to win, simple as that,” Purisic said. “Rugby gave me some grit and some drive and relentless force to be a better athlete.” “There are definitely guys on the [track] team that I have gotten close to even before the season. As the season goes on I’ll get closer with the rest of the guys.” Deren’s older brother Almas Purisic was a student at SUNY Plattsburgh until 2020 and was a rugby player as well and couldn’t be more proud of his brother
taking on a finance major and two sports. “It has taught me the discipline and management skills of balancing full length daily practices and alongside coursework. Deren wants to get the same experience that I had on top of taking on another sport and handling a job,” Almas Purisic said. This being Deren’s first taste of college athletics, he is hoping to bring fast success to the team, and plans to continue that success for his remaining three years as a Cardinal. “I want to experience a championship. Actually, I want to win a championship. I want to give the team a new life.” Purisic said. I want to bring an energy to the team that maybe has been missing.” Competing at the high school level during the COVID-19 pandemic makes the experience coming back to normal just a bit better. “Wearing masks and having to be outside and racing was kind of sucky,” Purisic said. “It’s good to be back to normal and racing.” The team looks to start back up in the beginning of next month, and hopefully, shapes up to be the best season yet for the Cardinals track and field team.
Procvided By: DEREN PURISIC
EmailGARRETT COLLINS cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
HOCKEY Continued from page B2 The mix of veteran presence with promising newcomers should be a big boost and help to the team’s chemistry, as well as their overall success. For many of those returning players, like Mcardle and graduate student Annie Katonka, this will be their last season of Cardinal hockey. “We’ve waited so long for this and I had to come back and do another year of college, so I think this season means a lot more to everyone personally,” Katonka said. “ We’ve been working so hard for so long for nothing and now to have something is nice.” This season will certainly hold a range of emotions
The local Clinton Central School product Deren Pursic seeks to have a great first season. for the players, with some having it be their last ride and others who are just getting started. One of which is first year forward Bridget Orr, who will make her Plattsburgh debut this weekend. “We’ve just been working really hard on and off the ice,” Orr said. “We come each day and work hard. We want to win.” That mentality is prevalent across the team, after being away for so long. But at long last Plattsburgh women’s hockey is back, and they are ready to roll, looking to continue their streak as the premier Northeast women’s hockey program.
Email GARRETT COLLINS cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
cardinalpointsonline.com