UB Track and Field Weekly Release

Vance Earns Two Spots in NCAA Championships Field

Sarah Vance

Sarah Vance (Lockport, NY/Lockport) earned her first trip to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships with her finish in the women’s shot put on Friday. Vance, who represented UB at the Indoor National Championships in March, came up with a school record heave of 51-9.75 (15.79m) to place fourth among 28 finishers in the event. Vance bettered the UB record of 50-9.25 (15.47m) set by Faith Thompson in the 2005 season. Vance also picked up All-East honors with the finish as the top eight placers in each event earned the distinction. Virginia Tech thrower and Niagara Falls native Brittany Pryor won the competition with a throw of 54-7.50 (16.65m).

On Saturday, Vance picked up a third-place finish in the hammer throw, turning in a toss of 194-1 (59.17m) on her final of six attempts. Defending NCAA women’s champion Jenny Dahlgren of Georgia won the competition with a throw of 222-5 (67.80m), nearly 24 feet better than the second-place finisher, Lafayette’s Ashley Harbin (198-6, 60.51m).

Vance becomes the first UB athlete to qualify in more than one event at the national finals. The NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held June 7-10 in Sacramento, CA.

Roelofsen Picks Up All-East Honors

Vanessa Roelofsen

Vanessa Roelofsen (Alma, Ontario/Norwell District SS) earned a point in the women’s javelin competition with her eighth-place finish and season-best throw of 153-2 (46.68m). Roelofsen, the Mid-American Conference champion in the javelin at the league meet two weeks ago, also tallied All-East honors with the finish.

Other UB competitors included Tina Villa (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs) in the shot put with Vance and Caitlin Godin (Rochester, NY/Greece Arcadia) in the high jump. Villa finished 10th in the shot put with a toss of 48-10.25 (14.89m), reaching the final round of throws. Godin tied for 17th with a height of 5-7.25 (1.71m).

Men Come Up Short at Regionals

Reggie Rucker

Men’s hurdler Reggie Rucker (Rochester, NY/Edison Tech) was denied a chance of advancing into the championship finals of both the 110-meter and 400-meter events. Rucker placed 10th in the 110-meter hurdles in 14.28 seconds, finishing third in his preliminary race. He also finished 14th in the 400-meter hurdles, turning in a finish of 51.76 seconds, third in the heat. Eight hurdlers reached the finals of both events.

Long jumper Roy Richards (Rochester, NY/Edison Tech) finished 11th in his event with his best leap of 23-11.75 (7.31m) occurring on the second of his three attempts. The top nine jumpers moved into the finals with Richards just missing a spot in the finals by two and a half inches.

Jake Madonia (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) finished 16th in the men’s shot put with a toss of 56-5.25 (17.20m), setting a new personal best. Madonia, who entered the competition with a previous best of 55-8 (16.97m), posted his top toss in the event twice, throwing better than 17 meters on his second and third attempts.

Rayshon Higgins (Buffalo, NY/Bishop Timon-St. Jude) was unable to advance past the first round of the men’s triple jump. Higgins, the two-time Mid-American Conference champion in the event, turned in a leap of 48-6 (14.78m) on his first attempt in the opening round to place 19th overall.