UB Women Tied For Second, Men Take Third at Northeast Ohio Meet

Lataya Dixon

AKRON, OH – The University at Buffalo track and field teams competed at the Northeast Ohio Invitational on Saturday as the women’s squad placed second and the men finished third behind the host Zips at the meet. Mid-American Conference members Akron and Kent State as well as Youngstown State and Ashland comprised the five-team fields. The UB women won five events and the UB men took a pair.

Sophomore Lataya Dixon won two events, breaking a nine-year old record in one event, to lead the UB women. Dixon broke the UB record in the women’s 100-meter hurdles as she won the race in 14.04 seconds, breaking the record of 14.07 set in 2000 by Melissa Ryan. Caitlin Godin finished third in the race in 14.81. Dixon then went on to capture the women’s high jump competition with a height of 5-7 (1.70m). It was Dixon’s first time competing in the high jump this season

The Bulls finished one-two in the women’s triple jump as Kim Black took the event at 37-7.75 (11.47m). Sarah Krott finished second at 37-5.75 (11.42m).

Allison Grimes

On the track, the UB women had two additional victories as both winners posted season-best times. In the 200-meters, Kara Black (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) lowered her season-best time with a 24.75 clocking, bettering the 24.87 time she set at the season-opening Seahawk Invitational. Allison Grimes also posted a season best with her win in the 400-meters in 57.24, an improvement of three-tenths of a second.

Godin, Dixon and Kara Black were joined by Octavia Johnston to place second in the 4x100-meter relay in a season-best 47.93.

Kristy Woods and Tina Villa earned NCAA East Regional qualifying marks in the women’s shot put. Woods placed fourth at 48-9 (14.86m), bettering her top effort this season by nearly three feet. Villa added a half-inch onto her qualifying distance with a toss of 47-10 (14.58m) to claim fifth.

Brian Smith

The UB men won two events, setting a school record in one. Brian Smith won the men’s 200-meters in 21.29, slicing his old record, set in 2008, by one-hundredth of a second.

Also scoring a victory for the Bulls was Jake Madonia in the men’s shot put. Madonia won the event with a toss of 52-10.75 (16.12m). It was his first shot put victory this season after the junior posted second-place finishes at the Seahawk Invitational and Colonial Relays.

Freshman James Thurn finished second in the 400-meter hurdles in a season-best 55.17. Freshman Chris Davis placed second in the men’s long jump at 22-3.50 (6.79m).

UB’s men’s relayers finished second in both their races. The 4x100-meter relay team of Dan Schichtel, Smith, Ezekiel Porter and Dan Harris finished in 41.57. The 4x400-meter relay squad of Smith, Porter, Isaiah Mask and Thurn also finished second in 3:16.60.

The UB women scored 158 points, tying them with Kent State for second behind Akron’s 223. The UB men finished with 143.50 points, trailing Akron (217.50) and Kent State (175.50).

The Bulls host the UB Invitational next Saturday at UB Stadium starting at 9:00 am.