Bulls Compete In Second MAC Championship

The University at Buffalo men's and women's indoor track teams competed in the Mid-American Conference hosted by Eastern Michigan University. The UB women's squad placed seventh with 25 points and the men placed 10th with 19.5 points. The UB contingent saw eight Bulls' athletes place in the top eight, including four others that finished in the top three.

The Eastern Michigan women's (142.67 pts.) and men's (152.2 points) teams earned MAC Championship titles.

Fletcher Becomes First MAC Champion

Junior Sarah Fletcher (Crystal Beach, Ontario/Crystal Beach-Ridgeway) became the University at Buffalo's first Mid-American Conference champion at the MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships this weekend at Eastern Michigan University. Fletcher won the 25-pound weight throw with a toss of 58-2", which also provisionally qualifies her for the NCAA Championships, and won by nearly two feet over her nearest competitor. Fletcher, who transferred to UB from Illinois State this year, was just short of her own school record (58-61/2) she set earlier this season at the Eastern Michigan Invitational.

Bulls Break Two School Records

The Bulls kept up their record-breaking tear as two new UB records were set at the MAC Championships. Senior Melissa Ryan (Oswego, NY/Oswego) broke her existing school record and set a new mark in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.79 while Steve Esler (Rochester, NY/Aquinas) is the new Buffalo record-holder in the heptathlon with 4656 points.

Fletcher, Okeke, Halim Get MAC Honors

For their outstanding performances throughout the season, Sarah Fletcher was a MAC First Team selection while senior Udo Okeke (Seattle, WA/Lagos) and junior Kamau Halim (Medina, NY/Medina) were named to the MAC Second Team.

Other Outstanding MAC Performances

Other top performances on the women's side of the competition came from Udo Okeke, Sarah Kranzler (Central Square, NY/Paul V. Moore) and Melissa Ryan. Okeke, finished second in the 800-meters in a time of 2:12.97, while Kranzler -just a sophomore -was sixth in the pentathlon with 3,306 points. Ryan, a senior, placed seventh in the 60-meter high hurdles with a time of :08.95 and set a new school record in her heat race with a time of :08.79.

Okeke also teamed with Diane Corredor (Westfield, NY/Westfield), Christina Keck (Erie, PA/McDowell) and Casey Spencer (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post) to finish seventh in the distance medley relay.

Top men's performances also came from Kamau Halim who placed second in the triple jump with a leap of 48' 2 3/4" to earn the Bulls' eight points. Senior Rashidi Greene (Webster, NY/Webster) was third in the 35-pound weight throw with a toss of 58-10 while freshman Steve Esler had a tremendous performance in the men's heptathlon. Esler smashed the school record with 4,656 points to finish sixth.

Also earning points for the Bulls were Jason Liddle (Delhi, NY/Delaware Academy) and the 4x400-meter relay team. Liddle was seventh in the pole vault by clearing 15-1" while the team of Pete Otovic (DeWitt, NY/Jamesville-DeWitt), Brian Williams (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford), Mike Commisso (Fulton, NY/G. Ray Bodley) and Dave Monk (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) was eighth in 3:22.48.

School Records Broken This Year

Name Event Time/Distance Event

Odu Okeke 800 meters 2:10.07 Cannon IV Classic

Callender, Keck, McFarland, Okeke 4x400 relay 3:50.13 Cannon IV Classic

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

Dave Monk 400 meters :49.07 Cannon IV Classic

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 59-1¹/₂ Cannon IV Classic

Brian Williams 60-meter high hurdles :08.47 Cannon IV Classic

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 :08.79 MAC Championships

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

Keck, Corredor, Okeke, Spencer DMR 12:02.73 Cannon IV Classic

Otovic, Williams, Commisso, Monk 4x400 relay 1:19.13 Cannon IV Classic

Steve Esler Heptathlon 4,656 pts. MAC Championships