UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO ATHLETICS
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Despite rain, wind and cool temperatures, the University at Buffalo track and field was still able to post solid results at the UB Invite held at UB Stadium on Saturday. The Bulls faced some of the best local competition in Canisius, Niagara, St. Bonaventure and Daemen as well as a number of track clubs.
The day was highlighted with the honoring of UB’s seniors as well as former Bull Jake Madonia who, tragically, lost his long battle with cancer last week.
The Bulls dominated in nearly all of the events.
“It was a tough day for performance marks,” head coach Vicki Mitchell said. “But any day is a great day to get out and compete, and that’s just what we did. There is no doubt the weather conditions slowed down performance marks, but the objective of competing and winning was certainly achieved.”
Women’s Highlights
- The 4 x 100m relay team of Nikari Carota, Jhada Francis, Priscilla Faa and Selina Von Jackowski took home and easy victory. All four came back with strong performances in their open events.
- Jhada Francis claimed the victory in the 100m in a personal best time of 12.22.
- Priscilla Faa won the 200m in a personal best of 25.88.
- Selina Von Jackowski won the 100m high hurdles and the long jump.
- Nikari Carota was the runner up in the 100m high hurdles.
- In the distance events, Senior Laura Libruk earned an exciting victory in the 1500m, running a personal best of 4:43.28 in front of the home crowd on senior day.
- Martine Bye and Nina Zesky went 1-2 in the high jump and Earnie Burapan won the pole vault.
- Miranda Daucher scored two victories on senior day, winning the discus by over 35 feet in 161’6 and the hammer throw in 169’9″.
Men’s Highlights
- Sophomore Ray Anikwue won the 100m and Mitchell Fuller – on senior day – placed a strong second and also helped the 4 x 100 squad along with Steve George and Mitchell Moore to the win.
- Senior Mitchell Moore won the 200m in a personal best of 21.90.
- Leon Atkins had a dominating win in the 800m – outdistancing second place by four seconds with a time of 1:53.18.
- Senior John McCarthy ran a personal-best 3:55.34 in the 1500m, with some great competition from the Canadian Club Team runners at Speed River and Harbour Track Clubs.
- One of the track highlights of the day was the men’s 3000m, where freshman Thomas Flannery ran to a victory, in a time of 8:29.13, reaching not only a personal best, but also earning the USATF Junior National Qualifying Standard. The USATF Junior National Championships are held in June at Indiana University and will boast the very best of the 19 & under track & field athletes in the country.
- Liam Hilbert and Lloyd Webb finished first and second in the 5000m.
- Anthony Clark won the 110m high hurdles, leading the Bulls to a 1-2-3 finish.
- On the field, the Bulls won all but two events.
- Freshman Brandon Burke won the high jump and the triple jump.
- Sophomore decathlete Zachary Jones jumped a personal best in both the long jump (22’1.75″) and the Pole Vault (13’1.50″).
- For the throws, the competition was strong and the Bulls showed up. Senior Ryan Cribbin was able take the shot put victory on senior day with his family watching.
- Sam Wray took another win in the discus throw.
- Sophomore Devon Koepp earned the first win of his collegiate career in the hammer throw.
The Bulls will head to the Jim Thorpe Open at Penn State next Friday. The meet will serve as a tune-up for the MAC Championships hosted by UB beginning May 10.
