Bulls Collect Eight First-Place Finishes at Bucknell Meet

Fatimah Hill

LEWISBURG, PA – The University at Buffalo men’s and women’s track and field teams scored eight first-place and a pair of second-place finishes as the Bucknell Bison Open at Christy Mathewson Memorial Stadium concluded on Saturday. There was no team scoring in the meet that featured squads from New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Leading the charge for the Bulls was freshman Fatimah Hill (Waterport, NY/Lyndonville), who broke the school record to earn a victory in the women’s long jump. Hill cleared a distance of 19-6.25 (5.95m), breaking the 2002 mark set by April Pabilonia (18-9.25, 5.72m), just missing the NCAA East Regional qualifying mark by two centimeters. Hill’s leap was nearly four feet better than her previous season-best mark, set at the season-opening Seahawk Invitational. Hill was also part of UB’s second-place 4x100-meter relay squad (49.05) with Stacy Downer (Philadelphia, PA/Dobbins/Randolph Tech), Caitlin Godin (Rochester, NY/Greece Arcadia) and Gia Serrette (Newburgh, NY/Newburgh Free Academy).

Downer also produced a track victory with a personal-best mark in the 400-meters, winning in 56.02.

Tina Villa (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs) and Godin were also winners in their field event competitions. Villa won the shot put with a season-best toss of 44-6.25 (13.57m) while Godin earned a first-place in the high jump at 5-5 (1.65m). Villa also placed second in the discus throw at 142-5 (43.42m).

Bryan Weinstein

The UB men also picked up four wins including a pair by Bryan Weinstein (Getzville, NY/Williamsville North). Weinstein won the 200-meters in 21.60 and also placed third in the 100-meters in 10.75, both personal bests. He also ran the opening leg of the winning 4x100-meter relay team (41.80), followed by Reggie Rucker (Rochester, NY/Edison Tech), James Graber (West Seneca, NY/Bishop Timon-St. Jude) and Rob McRae (Rexford, NY/Shenendehowa).

In the field, Rayshon Higgins (Buffalo, NY/Bishop Timon-St. Jude) won the triple jump at 50-2.75 (15.31m), a season-best mark which also earned him a spot in the regional meet. Mike Giordano (Springville, NY/Springville) took the shot put at 54-10 (16.71m).

Three distance runners also posted personal-best times during the distance carnival portion of the meet. In the unseeded 1,500-meter run, Kate Kohout (Clarence, NY/Clarence) placed ninth in 4:35.28 while freshman Mary Veith (Derby, NY/Lake Shore) turned in a 4:38.95 clocking to place 12th and earn a qualifying mark in the USA Junior National Championships this summer. Freshman Dan Healy (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) also posted a personal-best with his 9:32.30 showing in the steeplechase.

The Bulls travel to the Akron Quad meet next weekend.