SBU Couple Wins Masters Track and Field Athlete of the Year Awards

Dale Drueckhammer and Roxanne Brockner (center) won USATF Long Island Athlete of the Year Awards, joined by USATFLI President Alex Cuozzo (left) and Vice President Robert Lemke (right).

Stony Brook University's husband-and-wife team of Dale Drueckhammer and Roxanne Brockner have once again been honored as Masters Male and Female Athletes of the Year by USA Track and Field (USATF) Long Island.

Brockner is assistant to the director of Stony Brook's Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery (ICB&DD), and Drueckhammer is a professor in the Department of Chemistry.

Brockner competing in the 400 meters at the World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland.

The pair were honored by USATF Long Island with the same awards in 2019, and repeated as winners in 2023 after excelling on the national and world levels.

Brockner, 58, won three national titles in the 60, 200 and 400 meters at the 2023 USATF Nationals in Kentucky. She also represented the United States at the World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland, winning individual silver medals in the 400 and 200 meters and two gold medals in the 4×200-meter relays.

In 2022, Brockner set individual American records at the World Masters Athletics Championship in Tampere, Finland in the W55 age group in the 200 and 400 meters.

Drueckhammer competing in the 800 meters at the World Masters Championships in Poland.

Drueckhammer, 63, was ranked in the top 10 in the US in his age group (M60) in the 800 meters (2.33.58) and 1,500 meters (5.20.03), and also competed at the World Masters Championships in Poland.

Brockner noted that European scientists have begun a wide research endeavor in finding the benefits of movement in aging. "So, we have been taking the right approach," she said, adding that their success is a result of dedicated training and support.

Stony Brook track and field coach Andrew Ronan called Brockner one of the university's best ambassadors on the international scene, adding, "Roxanne is an inspiration not only to the athletes she competes against, but to those that know her at Stony Brook University and around the country."

USATF is a national organization for track and field athletes that range from youth to open, elite to masters level. USATF Masters has become very competitive and expands to regionals, nationals and world championships.

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