TRACK & FIELD

Men's Roster  |  Women's Roster  |  Coaches  |  Schedule / Results  |  News

Bulls Win Three Events at Campbell/Wright Open

Reggie Rucker

AKRON, OH – In their final tuneup for the Mid-American Conference Championships, the University at Buffalo men’s and women’s track and field teams competed at the Campbell/Wright Open at Akron’s Lee Jackson Track on Saturday. There was no scoring in the meet that also included squads from MAC foe Kent State and host Akron as well as Youngstown State and Wheeling Jesuit.

The Bulls set three new school records and also won three events on the day.

In the men’s meet, Reggie Rucker (Rochester, NY/Edison Tech) won the 400-meter hurdles in 51.41 seconds, breaking the UB record of 51.75 set last season by Brian Heim (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville East). Rucker also set the Lee Jackson facility record with his clocking and earned an NCAA East Regional qualifying spot.

P.J. Godios

Javelin thrower P.J. Godios (Hamburg, NY/St. Francis) finished third, setting a new personal-best mark. Godios bettered his personal best in the event by more than a foot and his season best by 13 feet. His previous top throw was 179-5 set in the 2006 season.

Rayshon Higgins (Buffalo, NY/Bishop Timon-St. Jude) won the men’s triple jump with a distance of 48-5.25 (14.76m). Jake Madonia (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) came up with a third-place finish in the discus throw at 163-2 (49.74m), tying his best mark for the season.

In the women’s meet, Fatimah Hill (Waterport, NY/Lyndonville) won the long jump with a leap of 19-1.50 (5.83m), improving on her best mark of the season.

Fatimah Hill

Sarah Vance (Lockport, NY/Lockport) collected three second-place finishes behind Akron All-MAC performer Stevi Large. Vance broke her own record in the discus with a toss of 161-0 (49.07m), bettering her record by nearly four feet and giving the UB senior her third NCAA East Regional qualifying mark. Vance bettered her qualifying distance in the hammer throw with a distance of 186-8 (56.90m), another four foot improvement. Vance also netted a second-place in the shot put with a toss of 49-7.25 (15.12m).

Tina Villa (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs), UB’s other top weight thrower, earned a pair of third-place finishes with season-bests in both events. Villa qualified for the regional competition later this month in the shot put with a throw of 48-11.75 (14.93m) while just missing the qualification for the discus. She tossed the discus 155-1 (47.27m) for another season-best and just three centimeters off the qualifying distance.

The UB women also collected a second-place finish from Jennie Donofrio (Pittsford, NY/Penfield) in the 3,000-meters. Donofrio, in her first attempt this season at the distance, turned in a 10:35.79 time, just 18-hundredths behind unattached runner Morgan Russell’s 10:35.61.

Kimarie Black (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Polytechnic) had a second-place finish in the triple jump with a distance of 37-7.25 (11.46m). Former UB standout Biaunca McFarland, competing unattached, won the event at 39-5.25 (12.02m).

Stacy Downer (Philadelphia, PA/Dobbins/Randolph Tech) set a season-best in the 400-meters in 56.57. Downer also helped the Bulls to a second-place finish in the 4x100-meter relay in a season-best 47.52. Downer ran the second leg of the relay behind Dana Ventrone (Pittsburgh, PA/Chartiers Valley) and ahead of Black and Octavia Johnston (Syracuse, NY/Fowler).

The Bulls will look to make their presence known at the MAC Championships, starting on Thursday, May 10 in Oxford, OH.