POUGHKEEPSIE, New York - Senior captain Spencer Johnson has been named as the second recipient of the Gregory J. Salamone Memorial Scholarship. Johnson has been a leader of the men's cross country team and among the best long distance runners in school history. The scholarship is named in honor of Salamone, a former school-record-setting runner for the Red Foxes, who passed away on October 14, 2014, at the age of 35 after a brief and valiant battle with melanoma.

Mark Valentino, a two-time graduate of Marist (undergraduate and graduate), was the inaugural recipient of the Salamone scholarship. Valentino capped his five-year Marist running career with a school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in his final race, at the IC4A Championships in May. 

“Spencer is a worthy standard bearer for this scholarship,'' Director of Track/Cross Country Pete Colaizzo said. “He embodies all of Greg's wonderful traits – he's loyal to the team, he's dedicated to long-distance training and racing, and he is a high achieving student both in and out of the classroom.''

Like Salamone, Spencer excels at the 10,000-meter run in track. He has qualified for the USATF Junior Championships and the IC4A Championships twice in the 25-lap track race – feats that Salamone achieved during his four-year career at Marist. 

The Gregory J. Salamone Memorial Scholarship is named in honor of 2001 Marist College graduate Greg Salamone, a four-year varsity runner on the cross country, indoor track and outdoor track teams. Greg was an exemplary student-athlete, who at the time of his graduation held school records in the 10,000-meter run and the 3,000-meter steeplechase. The scholarship is awarded each year to a male track/cross country student-athlete who exemplifies all that Greg stood for: Excellence in academics, and excellence in long-distance events on the track and cross country running.