Friday, December 2
Houghton, NY
10 a.m.
at
Houghton Invite
Bulls Start 2022-23 Season Strong at Houghton December Classic
12/3/2022 10:14:00 AM | Track and Field
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo track and field team kicked off their 2022-23 indoor season at the Houghton December Classic on Friday evening.
ON THE WOMEN'S SIDE
Senior Christina Wende set the stage for the women's team in the first track event of the day, the 60-meter hurdles. Wende earned a win in the finals, breaking the facility record and setting a new personal best of 8.66-seconds. She is now tied for the 8th fastest time in UB program history in the women's 60-meter hurdles. Wende followed that performance with another personal best in the long jump, breaking another facility record and winning the event in 19'9.5"/6.03-meters, moving her to third on the UB All-Time Top-10 list.
Graduate Transfer Teasha McKoy made her debut as a Bull one to remember. She won the shot put, setting a personal best of 48'10"/14.88-meters, and beat the Facility Record by nearly two meters. 48'10.00" also places her tenth on the UB All-Time Top-10 list. McKoy also won the women's weight throw in 56'3.75"/17.16-meters and teammate Imahni Sinclair set a personal best placing 2nd in 55'6.25"/16.92-meters.
Senior Violet Drinkwater had a strong opener in the women's pole vault, placing 2nd in 10'6"/3.20-meters.
Several first years had strong opening performances for the Bulls on the track. Johanna Kleiner, transfer sophomore from Florida International University, won the women's 600-meters. Alyssa Rotondo won the women's 800-meters. Vassi Klock placed 2nd in the women's mile, followed by three more freshmen with strong opening performances: Chloe Freeland, Allison Newton, and Bronagh Cassidy.
ON THE MEN' SIDE
Much like the women, the men's 60-meter hurdles set the tone for the team with senior Chinemerem Ononiwu (8.16-seconds) and freshman Michael Parks (8.19-seconds) providing a 1-2 punch in the prelims. In the finals, the Bulls swept the event with Ononiwu beating his previous personal best and the facility record in 8.02-seconds, ranking third for UB All-Time. Parks took 2nd in 8.28-seconds, and Kevin Gabalski ran a personal best of 8.44-seconds. Gabalski also set personal best marks in the long jump of 22'2.50"/6.77-meters, and in the high jump of 6'1.25"/1.86-meters.
In the men's 60-meter dash, sophomore Jermain Ewers won in a new personal best time of 6.88-seconds, ranking ninth for UB All-Time. The Bulls dominated the 400-meter dash with freshman duo Brandon Robinson and Patrick Ames placing 1-2. The sprint squads also placed 1-2 in the men's 4x200-meter relay.
Junior Jonathan Surdej had a very strong opener in the shot put, winning and breaking the Facility Record with a distance of 55'09.75"/17.01-meters. Teammates Mark Przybocki (51'01.50") and Quinn Smith (49'09") placed 3rd and 4th.
"This meet was a great checkpoint of our fall training progress. Our goal was to get a good evaluation mark of our team in a low-key setting," stated Head Coach Vicki Mitchell. "The Houghton December Classic provided that opportunity at a nice facility close to home. Starting with personal best marks puts us in a good place to continue to move forward."
For complete results, click here (PDF).
UP NEXT
The Bulls are back in action after the new year at the BGSU Invite on Saturday, Jan. 14.
ON THE WOMEN'S SIDE
Senior Christina Wende set the stage for the women's team in the first track event of the day, the 60-meter hurdles. Wende earned a win in the finals, breaking the facility record and setting a new personal best of 8.66-seconds. She is now tied for the 8th fastest time in UB program history in the women's 60-meter hurdles. Wende followed that performance with another personal best in the long jump, breaking another facility record and winning the event in 19'9.5"/6.03-meters, moving her to third on the UB All-Time Top-10 list.
Graduate Transfer Teasha McKoy made her debut as a Bull one to remember. She won the shot put, setting a personal best of 48'10"/14.88-meters, and beat the Facility Record by nearly two meters. 48'10.00" also places her tenth on the UB All-Time Top-10 list. McKoy also won the women's weight throw in 56'3.75"/17.16-meters and teammate Imahni Sinclair set a personal best placing 2nd in 55'6.25"/16.92-meters.
Senior Violet Drinkwater had a strong opener in the women's pole vault, placing 2nd in 10'6"/3.20-meters.
Several first years had strong opening performances for the Bulls on the track. Johanna Kleiner, transfer sophomore from Florida International University, won the women's 600-meters. Alyssa Rotondo won the women's 800-meters. Vassi Klock placed 2nd in the women's mile, followed by three more freshmen with strong opening performances: Chloe Freeland, Allison Newton, and Bronagh Cassidy.
ON THE MEN' SIDE
Much like the women, the men's 60-meter hurdles set the tone for the team with senior Chinemerem Ononiwu (8.16-seconds) and freshman Michael Parks (8.19-seconds) providing a 1-2 punch in the prelims. In the finals, the Bulls swept the event with Ononiwu beating his previous personal best and the facility record in 8.02-seconds, ranking third for UB All-Time. Parks took 2nd in 8.28-seconds, and Kevin Gabalski ran a personal best of 8.44-seconds. Gabalski also set personal best marks in the long jump of 22'2.50"/6.77-meters, and in the high jump of 6'1.25"/1.86-meters.
In the men's 60-meter dash, sophomore Jermain Ewers won in a new personal best time of 6.88-seconds, ranking ninth for UB All-Time. The Bulls dominated the 400-meter dash with freshman duo Brandon Robinson and Patrick Ames placing 1-2. The sprint squads also placed 1-2 in the men's 4x200-meter relay.
Junior Jonathan Surdej had a very strong opener in the shot put, winning and breaking the Facility Record with a distance of 55'09.75"/17.01-meters. Teammates Mark Przybocki (51'01.50") and Quinn Smith (49'09") placed 3rd and 4th.
"This meet was a great checkpoint of our fall training progress. Our goal was to get a good evaluation mark of our team in a low-key setting," stated Head Coach Vicki Mitchell. "The Houghton December Classic provided that opportunity at a nice facility close to home. Starting with personal best marks puts us in a good place to continue to move forward."
For complete results, click here (PDF).
UP NEXT
The Bulls are back in action after the new year at the BGSU Invite on Saturday, Jan. 14.
Players Mentioned
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
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