Sarah Fletcher

RALEIGH, NC - Over 3,000 athletes from 110 competing institutions converged on North Carolina State's Raleigh Relays over the weekend. The University at Buffalo's men's and women's track and field teams emerged from the meet with success that included six new school records. Because this was such a large field of entrants, no team scoring was kept.

Headlining UB's performances was senior Sarah Fletcher (Ridgeway, Ontario/Ridgeway-Crystal Beach). Fletcher, set a new record in the discus competition with a toss of 147-4 (44.92m) to finish seventh. Her throw broke the previous record of 143-7 (43.76m) set in 1998 by Ruth Conlon. Fletcher was equally impressive in the hammer throw finishing fifth at 178-10 (54.52m).

Hollie Rhodes

Hollie Rhodes (Elmira, NY/Elmira Southside) broke her own school record in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Rhodes turned in a time of 11:11.45 to finish ninth overall and shatter her previous best of 11:49.66 set last season. Teammate Jessica Moldovan (Warren, PA/Warren Area) also finished the race strong, taking 11th place in 11:16.08. UB's 800-meter relay squad also established a new record with a 15th-place finish of 1:41.54 to eclipse the 2000 record of 1:42.28.

In the men's competition, shot putter Byron McKinney (Amherst, NY/Sweet Home)

Byron McKinney

didn't let his school record last long. McKinney placed sixth in Raleigh with a toss of 53-10.50 (16.42m), bettering the record of 53-3.25 (16.24m) he had set the previous week at the Wake Forest Relays. Teammate Joe Loiacono (Rochester, NY/Greece-Olympia) was seventh in the shot put at 52.9.50 (16.09m).

Distance specialist Todd Ludden (Hornell, NY/Hornell) also broke his own record with a ninth-place finish in the 10,000 meters in 30:54.58. He shaved better than 45 seconds off his old mark of 31:41.40, set in the 2000 season. Jerimie Slick (Rochester, NY/Greece-Olympia) finished the distance in 37th in 32:24.43. UB's 800-meter relay team also broke an eight-year old record by placing 11th in its race in 1:27.27, cutting a second off the previous best of 1:28.84.

Todd Ludden

The squads return north for Saturday's McDonald's Invitational, hosted by Ohio University. The Bulls are expected to see several Mid-American Conference at the meet, slated to start at 9:00 a.m.