First Day of MAC Indoor Championships Complete

Matt Gac

KENT, OH – The University at Buffalo men’s and women’s track and field teams ended the first day of the Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships with four third-place finishes and an extended school record to highlight Friday’s action.

Sophomore Matt Gac extended his existing record in the men’s weight throw with his third-place finish on Friday. Gac finished with a toss of 63-0 (19.20m) to add three-quarters of an inch onto the record. Senior Alex Stamatakis finished fourth at 59-1.25 (18.01m), improving his best mark of the season by more than a foot.

James Thurn

Both of UB’s distance medley relay teams finished third in their respective races. In the men’s race, the UB foursome of Ryan Zillmann, James Thurn, Shaun Brummert and Dan Giza turned in a clocking of 10:00.16, just three-quarters of a second off the school record. The UB women finished in 11:53.35. The Bulls’ foursome included Mary Veith, Allison Grimes, Christine Sprehe and Jessica Schultz.

Allison Grimes

In the women’s meet, senior Fatimah Hill took third in the long jump with a leap of 19-0.50 (5.20m). Caitlin Godin placed fourth in the pentathlon competition with a total of 3,652 points. Godin increased her season-best performance in the event by more than 300 points and earned an ECAC qualification in the process.

Freshman Chris Davis placed fifth in the men’s long jump at 22-7.75 (6.90m).

The Bulls also had several individuals reach Saturday’s track finals after Friday’s preliminary rounds.

Fatimah Hill

Jackie Burns qualified for the 800-meter final while Lataya Dixon reached the 60-meter hurdles final for the UB women.

For the UB men, Daniel Harris and Brian Smith made the final cut for the 60-meter dash while Smith also will compete in the 200-meter final. Matt Armstrong reached the 400-meter final while Isaiah Mask made the 800-meter final. Two Bulls, Jamal Norward and Austin Archibald made the 60-meter hurdles final.

The UB men are in fifth place with 18 total points after the first day while the UB women are tied for sixth with Ohio at 17 points. Competition concludes on Saturday.

Men’s scores (through five events): Kent State 46, Akron 32, Eastern Michigan 29, Central Michigan 29, UB 18.

Women’s scores (through five events): Akron 39, Kent State 35, Western Michigan 21, Miami (OH) 21, Ball State 18, UB 17, Ohio 17, Central Michigan 9, Toledo 9, Bowling Green 7, Eastern Michigan 1, Northern Illinois 1.