TRACK & FIELD

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

1999-2000 Season Preview

The UB Bulls women's team returns to action for the 1999-2000 season without three of its brightest stars from last year. Ruth Conlon, Shelly Hamilton and Lisa Kragbe, who have completed their eligibility, led Buffalo during its first season of competition in the Mid-Amercian Conference. Buffalo hopes that new additions to the program and returning young talent will be able to pick up where the departing trio left off.

Junior Udo Okeke, who's strong middle distance performance was a pleasant surprise last year, will be one athlete the Bulls will count on to perform well this season. Okeke placed third in last season's 800-meter race during the outdoor track and field conference meet. She will be competing in the 400, 800, and 1500 meter races this year.

Multi-talented senior Melissa Ryan is also expected to have a successful year. A gifted hurdler and sprinter, Ryan holds the school record in the 100-meter hurdles.

Junior Katie Scott will also be competing with Ryan in sprints and hurdles. Scott curently is the UB record-holder in the 400-meter hurdles and earned points in that event during last year's outdooor conference meet. Also in those events, the Bulls are hopeful that senior Victoria Firestone returns from last year's season-ending injury to be a top sprinter and hurdler.

In the field events, jumper Alycia Croak is expected to be a standout for the Bulls. Croak placed seventh in the triple jump during last year's MAC Championships.

After hard work and training last season, sophomore Sarah Kranzler learned all seven events in the heptathlon and is expected to perform well in the event this year.

Buffalo has a strong core of distance runners returning this season as well. They include seniors Casey

Spencer, Marie Macander, Theresa Humennyj, junior Eileen Rose, and sophomore Lisa Luce.

Newcomers Jenelle Callender, Diane Corredor, Termesha James, and Biaunca McFarland (sprints), Deven Fister (pole vault), Christina Keck (middle distance), Michaela Stone (multi events), Melissa Burrows and Billie Schieble (distance) are expected to make immediate impacts on the program as well.

For the men's squad, senior Rashidi Greene and juniors Tony David and Kamau Halim will be looked to for leadership this season.

Greene broke the school record in the hammer throw last season as he placed fourth in the event at the Mid-American Conference Championships. He is expected to continue his steady improvement and be a force in the discus as well.

Tony David has been a very consistent and dependable steeplechaser as he has scored in every conference meet since his freshman year. Last year he was ranked number one in the MAC for the event.

Jumper Kamau Halim is expected to be a top MAC contender in the triple jump as he finished third in that event at last year's MAC Championship.

Senior long sprinter David Monk is expected to do well in the Conference in the 400-meter dash while sophomores Brian Williams and Bryan Lundy are looked to for top performances in the 400-meter hurdles and javelin throw, respectively.

Other Bull returnees that will look to contribute this year include senior Jason Liddle (pole vault record holder), juniors Ben Moskel (holds school record in 800 meters) and Peter Otovic, and sophomores Keith Gentes (MAC hammer throw finalist) and Eric Czubaj .

UB also looks forward to see the performances of newcomers Matt Bowers, Todd Ludden, Jason Quast and Rick Stewart (distance), Jeremy Biernat (pole vault), Steve Esler and Adam Toy (multi-events), Joseph Loiacono (throws) and Khlaid Umar (jumps).