Bulls Complete Regular Season at Zips Open

Rob McRae

AKRON, OH – The University at Buffalo men’s and women’s track and field teams sent a limited amount of athletes to the University of Akron’s Zips Open on Friday night in the final regular season meet of the season. There was no team scoring in the meet that also included the host Zips as well as Division III athletes and several unattached entrants. The meet served as a tune up for next weekend’s Mid-American Conference Championships.

In the men’s meet, UB freshman Rob McRae (Rexford, NY/Shenendehowa) led the Bulls to the top three spots in the 400-meter dash. McRae won the race in 48.71, improving his IC4A qualifying mark by sixth-tenths of a second. Brian Heim (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville East) finished second in a season-best 49.12, lowering his IC4A mark as well. Babaseyi Olaleye (Lagos, Nigeria/Lagos) was third in 51.95.

Dan McKenna (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) took the 3,000-meters in 8:29.65, setting a new UB record in the race. It was McKenna’s first time this season racing the distance as he broke Todd Ludden's 2004 mark by three seconds. McKenna, who has IC4A qualifying marks in the mile and 1,000-meters, just missed a third qualifying time by 15-hundredths of a second.

Fatimah Hill

Loic Sebuharara (Vestal, NY/Vestal) won the men’s triple jump at 43-10 (13.36m), bettering his season-best mark in the event by six inches. Sebuharara also posted a season-best height in the high jump at 6-2 (1.88m) to place fourth behind three Akron entrants.

In the women’s meet, UB’s lone winner was Fatimah Hill (Waterport, NY/Lyndonville) in the triple jump. Hill’s leap of 18-5.75 (5.63m) was a personal best and UB’s top distance of the season. Hill won the event by almost nine inches.

The Bulls will next compete at the Mid-American Conference Championships. The two-day meet begins on Friday, February 24 at Bowling Green.