UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO ATHLETICS
BUFFALO – The University at Buffalo track and field team are traveling to Kalamazoo, MI this weekend for the 2017 Mid-American Conference Championships in outdoor track and field. Western Michigan is hosting the championships this year, and the team is ready to make an impact at the competition. The men placed third at the 2017 Indoor MAC Championships in February, highest in program history; while the women tied for fifth overall.
Returning to the Outdoor MAC Championships is senior Joshua Gali. Gali had an impressive showing at the Indoor MAC Championships, earning two individual gold medals and was a member of the gold-medal winning 4X400 relay team. Gali was also named Most Outstanding Track Athlete at the competition. His impressive performance at Indoor MACs carried into his outdoor season, where he saw several first place finishes at multiple competitions, and was a member of several record-breaking relay teams. Gali was a member of the school’s record breaking 4X400 relay team with teammates Gyasi Morris, Brian Cummiskey, and Mitchell Moore. Gali was also a member of the record-breaking Distance Medley Relay team alongside Craig Kaiser, Tyler Scheving, and Brian Crimmins. Kaiser, Scheving, and Crimmins each added the 4X800 relay record to their resume as well.
Scheving and Crimmins were also individual record holders for the outdoor season. Scheving broke the school record in the 800m early in the season, while Crimmins broke the school record in the 1500m twice throughout the season. Barrett Kemp also broke a school record early in the season in the 10,000m.
Michael Morgan, Ryan Billian, and Devon Patterson each brought home first place finishes from the Indoor MAC Championships. Morgan came back from a red-shirt season to take first in the Heptathlon, his first competition in two years after an injury training for the Olympics. Billian also came off a red-shirt season, taking first in the men’s 60H. Patterson took first in the men’s shot put for the first conference title in his career. Right behind him was teammate Ryan Cribbin, who took second in the event.
The women are returning key athletes to the Outdoor MAC Championships. Christine Lyttle had a great performance at the Indoor MAC Championships, coming in fourth in the women’s 60HH. Lyttle also broke the school record earlier in the season in the shuttle hurdle relay alongside teammate Kailyn Arcury, Selina Von Jackowski, and Nikari Carota. Stephanie Ward and Crystal Henderson are returning to the Outdoor MAC Championships after impressive performances at the indoor championships in February. Ward placed fifth in the women’s 3000m, and Henderson placed sixth in the triple jump.
The Bulls are hoping to have an impactful performance in all events at the outdoor championships this weekend.