Track and Field Defend Home Turf at UB Spring Opener

Friday, April 8

Buffalo, NY

Noon

University at Buffalo Spring Opener

Track and Field Defend Home Turf at UB Spring Opener

4/9/2022 9:23:00 AM | Track and Field

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo track and field team hosted the UB Spring Opener on Friday afternoon. Both the men's and women's teams took home victories. The men's team scored 263 points good for first out of seven programs, as the women scored 251 points placing first of nine teams.

On the track, the sprinters had a great day despite cooler temperatures. The women swept the top-4 places in the 100-meter dash, with Kaylah Britt winning in a personal best time of 12.35-seconds, ranking 16^th in the MAC. In the women's 400-meter run, the Bulls scored the top-3 places with senior Priscilla Faa winning in a personal best time 57.41-seconds, ranking 13^th in the MAC. In the 800-meter run, Junior Aubrey Cluck earned her first collegiate win with a personal best time of 2:23.08. The men had an equally strong day in the sprints. Freshman Tal Hamel won the men's 100-meter dash in a personal best time of 10.85-seconds, good for seventh in the MAC. Teammate Elijah Kerner placed fourth in a personal best of 10.99-seconds. In the 200-meter dash Justin Kleppel took third in a personal best of 22.71-seconds and freshman Aaron Essien placed fourth in a personal best 22.77-seconds. UB dominated the high hurdles with Christina Wende and Lydia Lanski placing first and second. The men mirrored the women with Kevin Gabalski and Kyle Waymen placing first and second. Both the 4 x 100 men's and women's teams took home the wins, along with the men's and women's 4 x 400m relays. Personal best marks and wins continued in the distance events. In the men's 1,500-meter run, junior Ryan Buzby ran a personal best of 3:52.48, moving him to the 10^th program history and sixth in the MAC this season. The Bulls also claimed second and third place with Cal Puskar earning a new personal best of 3:53.14, and Tommy Flannery with his 3:55.17 performance. Senior Riley Jones won the women's 3,000-meter run in an outdoor personal best time of 9:51.79, moving her to fourth on UB's all-time top-10 list. UB volunteer assistant coach and former school record holder in the men's indoor 3,000-meter run Ben Cardamone won the men's 3,000-meter run in 8:27.96. Junior Alex Hislop took second in an outdoor personal best time of 8:30.18.

The wind provided challenging conditions for the vertical jumps. In the high jump, the wind played with the crossbar and blew it off a few times. However, the Bulls managed the conditions and scored victories with Zaria Fuller winning the women's high jump and Brandon Burke winning the men's high jump. Christina Wende won the women's long jump in 18'-05.25", while Justin Kleppel won the men's long jump. Kaylah Britt doubled back from her 100-meter dash PR to win the women's triple jump in 38'-02.00". In the men's triple jump, former UB stand-out student-athlete and former assistant coach, Tomarris Bell won event in a leap of 47'-09.25" showing that even as a full-time NY State Trooper, he's still in track shape.

We have come to expect dominance in the throwing events, especially at our home competitions. The Bulls fulfilled expectations with fantastic performances. Junior Molly McCreedy won the shot put in a new personal best mark of 51'-00.75" moving her up to sixth on the UB all-time top-10 list and ranking her fourth in the MAC. Rachel Donner placed second in 46'02.00". Imahni Sinclair won the women's hammer throw in 164'-8", good for 12^th in the MAC and just a few inches shy of her personal best mark. Scilla Benussi, the sophomore heptathlete, won the javelin throw in a personal best mark of 140'-3" moving her up to fourth in program history and third in the MAC. The men scored equally as well as Jonathan Surdej won the men's shot put, and teammates Mark Przybocki and Quinn Smith taking second and third, respectively. Smith won the men's discus throw in a personal best mark of 164'-2", moving him to 10^th in program history and fourth in the MAC. Caleb Nickens won the men's hammer throw by over 50', and Danil Chernov took the men's javelin win in personal best of 188'-10", which is seventh on program history and fourth in the MAC.

"We had a very strong meet today with many student-athletes competing in their first meet of the season," stated Head Coach Vicki Mitchell. "Competing at our home track & field stadium and having the support of family, friends, and the department is truly a great experience for our program and leads to strong performances. With five weeks until the MAC Championships, we are starting to see marks come. The next few weekends are important to continue to compete strong and reach new personal best marks."

For complete meet results, click here.

UP NEXT
The Bulls will travel to Lewisburg, Pa. for the Bucknell Bison Invite. The invite will run from Thursday, April 14 through Saturday, April 16.