Bulls Have Busy Weekend

The Buffalo men's and women's teams competed in two events on Saturday - with most of the team heading to Hamilton, NY to compete in the Colgate Class of '32 Invitational with others going to Ypsilanti, MI and competing in the Eastern Michigan Invite.

The Bulls are two weeks away from the Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships hosted by Eastern Michigan.

UB Men Finish Second at Colgate

The Buffalo men's team had several strong performances and finished just one point out of first place at the Class of '32 Invitational at Colgate University. Lehigh won the team event with 165 points while the Bulls had 164 and Colgate 104.

Senior sprinter Dave Monk (Norwich, NY/Norwich) set a meet record in the 400 meters by capturing first in :49.35. Monk was also part of the winning 1,600-meter relay team along with Pete Otovic (DeWitt, NY/Jamesville-DeWitt), Brian Williams (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) and Marlon Rowe (Brooklyn, NY/Wingate). Otovic also won the 500-meter event in 1:08.19 while Williams captured the 55-meter high hurdles in a time of :8.06.

Other winners for UB included Mark Curry (Brockport, NY/Brockport) and the 3,200-meter relay team of Ben Moskel (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South), Rick Stewart (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca), Kirk Costion (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills) and Mike Commisso (Fulton, NY/G. Ray Bodley. Curry won the triple jump with a leap of 44-9" while the 3,200-meter relay team won in 8:07.33.

Smith, Liddle Esler Break School Records

The Bulls' men's team saw three records fall this weekend.

Sophomore Adam Smith (Varysburg, NY/Attica), senior Jason Liddle (Delhi, NY/Delaware Academy) and freshman Steve Esler (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) all smashed school records.

At the Colgate Class of '32 event, Smith won the shot put in a school record put of 50-5¹/₄, while Liddle broke the pole vault record by clearing 15-8".

Esler, meanwhile, bested his own school record in the pentathlon by compiling 3,528 points at the Eastern Michigan Invitational.

Fletcher Qualifies for NCAA's

Junior Sarah Fletcher (Crystal Beach, Ontario/Ridgeway-Crystal Beach), who transferred to UB from Illinois State this past December, is making quite an impact.

Fletcher broke her own school record in the 20-pound weight throw and provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships with a toss of 58-6¹/₂" at the Eastern Michigan Invitational.

In the same event, senior Melissa Ryan (Oswego, NY/Oswego) won the 55-meter hurdles in a time of :8.28.

UB Women Finish Third at Colgate

The UB women had seven first-place finishers at the Class of '32 Invitational at Colgate University, placing third as a team with 128 points behind Lehigh (164) and Colgate (136).

Leading the way for UB was junior Katie Scott (Salamanca, NY/Salamanca) who won the 800 meters (2:21.85) and anchored the winning 1,600-meter relay team that won in 4:02.99 along with three freshmen: Jenelle Callender (Brooklyn, NY/Brooklyn Tech), Christina Keck (Erie, PA/McDowell) and Biaunca McFarland (Binghamton, NY/Binghamton).

Keck also won the 1,000 meters (3:00.54); Callender won the 200 meters (:25.92) and McFarland won the triple jump (35-9¹/₄"). Also winning for UB was freshman Crystal Telfair (Syracuse, NY/Henninger) in the long jump (15-9³/₄"). Telfair also joined Marie Macander (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa), Theresa Hummennyj (Auburn, NY/Auburn) and Eileen Rose (Latham, NY/Shaler) to win the distance medley relay in a time of 12:56.44.

In all, UB freshmen won four individual events.

Halim Ranks First in MAC

UB junior jump specialist Kamau Halim (Medina/NY/Medina) currently ranks first in the MAC with his school record leap of 48-2¹/₂" at the Doug Raymond Invitational on Jan. 22nd. That mark is tied with Western Michigan's Jeka Luhahi as best in the conference this season.

School Records Broken This Year

Name Event Time/Distance Event

Odu Okeke 800 meters 2:12.12 Colgate Invitational

Okeke, Scott, Keck, Callender 4x400 relay 3:55.80 Colgate Invitational

Jenelle Callender 500 meters 1:17.32 Colgate Invitational

Adam Smith Shot put 50-5¹/₄ Class of '32 Invite

Deven Fister Pole Vault 10-2 Kent Invitational I

Katie Scott 300 meter hurdles :45.40 Kent Invitational I

Dave Monk 500 meters 1:03.96 Kent Invitational I

Steve Esler Pentathlon 3,528 pts. E. Michigan Inv.

Adam Smith Shot put 50-4 Doug Raymond Inv.

Sarah Fletcher Shot put 40-2 Doug Raymond Inv.

Rashidi Greene 35-pound weight throw 58-9 UB Invitational

Brian Williams 60-meter high hurdles :08.62 Don Wright Inv.

Sarah Fletcher 20-pound weight throw 58-6¹/₂ E. Michigan Inv.

Udo Okeke 600 meters 1:33.6 Don Wright Inv.

Melissa Ryan 60-meter hurdles :08.91 Don Wright Inv.

Jason Liddle Pole vault 15-8 Class of '32 Invite