Rucker Wins Hurdles Titles, Higgins Takes Triple Jump at MAC Championships

Reggie Rucker

OXFORD, OH – The University at Buffalo men’s track and field team took center stage on Saturday as they claimed three Mid-American Conference titles on the final day of the league championship meet at the George L. Rider Track at Miami University in Oxford, OH.

After the UB women claimed two MAC titles on Friday, the UB men picked up three on Saturday with two hurdles titles by Reggie Rucker (Rochester, NY/Edison Tech) and a repeat championship in the men’s triple jump by Rayshon Higgins (Buffalo, NY/Bishop Timon-St. Jude).

Rucker broke both UB hurdles records on Saturday and set a Rider Track record in one of the events on his way to winning the 110-meter and 400-meter events. In the 110-meter hurdles, Rucker won in 14.05 seconds, breaking his UB record by two-tenths of a second and lowering his NCAA East Regional qualifying mark. He completed the sweep with a victory in the 400-meter hurdles setting a new UB record and Miami facility mark of 50.75, lowering his UB record by more than six-tenths of a second. Rucker’s 400-meter hurdles victory is the third by a Bull in the last four MAC Championships. Brian Heim (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville East) won the MAC 400-meter hurdles crown in 2004 and 2006.

Rayshon Higgins

Higgins took his second-straight outdoor triple jump title and third MAC victory in the event with his winning leap of 50-10.25 (15.50m). Higgins scored the winning jump on his first attempt of the day, turning out to be the only jump he would need to claim the crown. Higgins was the only entrant to soar past the 50-foot distance as he outleapt second-place finisher Cadeau Kelly (49-8.50, 15.15m) of Akron by 13.75 inches. Higgins, who won the MAC indoor triple jump title in March, improved on his regional qualifying mark by more than a foot and a half.

Rucker was also instrumental in helping the Bulls to a third-place finish in the 400-meter relay in 41.21. Rucker took the baton second in a foursome that also included Ezekiel Porter (Rochester, NY/East), James Graber (West Seneca, NY/Bishop Timon-St. Jude) and Roy Richards (Rochester, NY/Edison Tech).

The men’s 1,600-meter relay team of John Connors (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island), Brendan Hagerty (Erie, PA/Cathedral Prep), Paul Riley (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) and Porter scored a fifth-place finish in their race. The foursome finished 3:20.76, setting a season-best time in the event.

Freshman Eugene Kennedy (Troy, NY/Troy) scored points for the Bulls in the triple jump and high jump events. Kennedy had a season-best 46-0.75 (14.04m) in the triple jump to claim sixth place. He finished seventh in the high jump at 6-6.75 (2.00m), tying his season-best mark set twice earlier in the season.

Porter also scored for the UB men with his eighth-place finish in the 100-meters in 11.06.

The UB women picked up a third-place showing from Sarah Vance (Lockport, NY/Lockport) in the discus at 159-6 (48.62m) for their highest finish on Saturday.

Caitlin Godin

Caitlin Godin (Rochester, NY/Greece Arcadia) and Fatimah Hill (Waterport, NY/Lyndonville) scored points in the women’s high jump, both clearing the 5-7 mark. Godin was awarded a tie for fourth place with Northern Illinois’ Jessica Statler, while Hill tied for seventh with two other jumpers based on the number of attempts needed to clear the height.

On the track, Mary Veith (Derby, NY/Lake Shore) finished fifth in the women’s 1,500-meters in 4:34.02 while Kate Kohout (Clarence, NY/Clarence) took sixth in the women’s 800-meters in a season-best 2:13.37. Kohout had lowered her season-best in Friday’s preliminaries, cutting nearly three seconds off her mark heading into the weekend.

The women’s relayers also posted season-best marks in both races. In the 1,600-meter relay, the foursome of Stacy Downer (Philadelphia, PA/Dobbins/Randolph Tech), Patrice Coney (Lyons, NY/Lyons), Allison Grimes (Georgetown, TX/Georgetown) and Kohout finished in 3:50.09, knocking more than 15 seconds off the team’s previous best, to finish sixth. In the 400-meter relay, the Bulls posted a 47.51 clocking, shaving a hundredth of a second off the previous best. The team consisted of Dana Ventrone (Pittsburgh, PA/Chartiers Valley), Octavia Johnston (Syracuse, NY/Fowler), Kimarie Black (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Polytechnic) and Downer.

Five athletes earned All-MAC honors during the three-day meet with Rucker and Higgins winning First-Team All-MAC honors for the men's squad. Coney and javelin thrower Vanessa Roelofsen (Alma, Ontario/Norwell District SS) were named to the women's first team with Vance picking up a second team recognition.

Both squads finished in fifth place in their respective meets. The UB men scored 90 points among the seven men’s entries with Eastern Michigan (182) pulling out a one-point win over Akron (181) with Kent State just four points behind with 178. The UB women were also fifth amongst the 12 MAC women’s squads with 66.50 points. Akron took the team title with 154 points.

Several of UB’s top competitors will return to action on May 25 and 26 at the NCAA East Regional Championships in Gainesville, FL.

Men’s final results: Eastern Michigan 182, Akron 181, Kent State 178, Central Michigan 95, UB 90, Ohio 44, Miami (OH) 43.

Women’s final results: Akron 154, Western Michigan 135, Central Michigan 83, Ball State 80, UB 66.50, Ohio 60; Miami 54, Bowling Green 54, Toledo 47, Kent State 40, Northern Illinois 28.50, Eastern Michigan 17.