Indoor Track and Field Weekly Release
2/27/2012 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Women Set New Best at MAC Championships
The University at Buffalo women's indoor track and field team posted its highest finish in school history as the Bulls placed fourth among 12 schools while the UB men were fifth in the five-team competition at the Mid-American Conference Championships at Akron's Stile Fieldhouse. The UB women scored 73.5 points and had never finished higher than sixth in any previous MAC indoor championship. The UB men scored 47 points to finish fifth of five teams.
O'Brien Steamrolls Competition in Shot Put
Becky O'Brien rolled to an easy victory in the women's shot put with a winning throw of 54-0 (16.46m) to successfully defend her league crown. O'Brien's winning throw came on her first attempt of the first round and she never trailed in the competition. She won the event by more than two feet over second-place finisher Alexandra Roberts of Miami (OH). UB's Kristy Woods finished third at 49-8.25 (15.14m) while Rachel Roberts was seventh at 46-7.25 (14.20m).
Siuciak Claims High Jump, Runner-Up in Pentathlon
Freshman Emma Siuciak won her first MAC title with her performance in the women's high jump on Saturday. Siuciak cleared a season-best 5-8.50 (1.74m) to win the title. She was the only individual to clear the top height as the next four vaulters all failed to advance. Siuciak failed in her three attempts to break Shelly Hamilton's school record of 5-9.75 (1.77m) when the bar was raised to 5-10 (1.78m). She also took second in the women's pentathlon competition with a five-event total of 3,704 points. In a close finish, she finished just 45 points behind Eastern Michigan's Kate Wolanin. Siuciak's highest placing was a third-place in the shot put at 34-9.50 (10.560m).
Knox, Smith Pick Up Slack in Men's Shot Put
The men's fortunes were dealt a blow on Saturday as Rob Golabek, the odds-on favorite to defend his men's shot put conference title, was unable to advance past the first round as he fouled on all three of his attempts. The Bulls however did have a pair of scorers in the event as Corey Knox finished second at 57-10.50 (17.64m) and Shane Smith finished fifth at 54-0 (16.46m) as both throws were season-bests. With his finish, Knox earned second-team All-MAC.
Women's Relayers Post Record, All-MAC Honors
UB's women's 4x400-meter relay finished second and turned in a school record time in the race. The foursome of Jamiee McClary, Donna Jeanty, Brooklynn Ventura and Asia Henry finished in 3:40.85, nearly two seconds from the previous school record set earlier in the season and each earned second-team honors. Henry also finished second in the women's 800-meters in 2:09.46. Ventura finished third in the 60-meter hurdles in 8.56 after lowering her school record to 8.52 in the preliminaries.
Bell Rings in Jumps
Tomarris Bell earned a second-place finish and All-MAC recognition in the men's triple jump with a season-best leap of 48-6.25 (14.79m), a nearly two-foot improvement from his previous top season mark. Freshman Austin Price finished fourth at 48-1.25 (14.66m), also a season-best. Bell also finished third in the long jump clearing a season-best 23-2 (7.06m) on his fifth of six attempts.
