Eleven Bulls Earn Indoor Postseason Awards Following MAC Championships
2/28/2024 11:05:00 AM | Track and Field
CLEVELAND, OHIO – The Mid-American Conference announced postseason awards for the track & field indoor season on Wednesday, with the Bulls earning numerous honors.
Coach Todd Witzleben was named the Men's Assistant Coach of the Year for the indoor season. Under Witzleben's guidance, the men's distance program scored 57 of the team's total 93 points at MAC Championships and brought home six of the Bulls ten medals, two gold, two silver and two bronze. Witzleben's athletes set three new indoor school records throughout the season, with seven more athletes climbing the program's all-time leaderboards with top ten times.
"Coach Witzleben has taken a group of men and developed them throughout their time at Buffalo," said Head Coach Vicki Mitchell. "Fifth year Ryan Buzby developed into a school record holder in multiple events and now a MAC Champion. Alex Hislop and Johann Matzal both set marks that rank inside the school's all-time top ten, earning their place in program history. Our program is focused on student-athlete development and coach Witzleben's work demonstrates this is its best."
Buzby, Jonathan Surdej, Cory Demo, Noah Brightman, Fernando Sanchez and Evan Hilbert all earned Men's First Team All-MAC honors. Surdej won the seventh MAC Championship of his career in the shot put at the indoor championships with a mark of 17.12 meters. Buzby brought home one of the program's gold medals in the 5000 meter (14:36.50) and a silver medal in the 3000 meter (8:12.61). Demo, Brightman, Sanchez and Hilbert took gold in the 4000 meter medley relay with a time of 9:56.10.
Hislop and Kevin Gabalski also earned Men's Second Team All-MAC honors. Hislop finished second in the 5000 meter to Buzby (14:45.43), as Gabalski took second place in the men's heptathlon with a personal best score of 5,033.
On the women's side, Zahra Amos earned Women's First Team All-MAC honors after winning the high jump and earning her first MAC title. Amos' gold medal jump of 1.80 meters tied her school record jump from earlier this season.
Scilla Benussi earned Women's Second Team All-MAC honors for her second-place finish in the pentathlon. Benussi was the only pentathlon participant to finish top five in all five events.
The Bulls begin the outdoor season on March 28th at the Raleigh Relays.
For more coverage of Buffalo track & field, follow the program on X (@UB_XCTF), Instagram (@BullsTFXC) and Facebook ("Buffalo Track & Cross Country").
Coach Todd Witzleben was named the Men's Assistant Coach of the Year for the indoor season. Under Witzleben's guidance, the men's distance program scored 57 of the team's total 93 points at MAC Championships and brought home six of the Bulls ten medals, two gold, two silver and two bronze. Witzleben's athletes set three new indoor school records throughout the season, with seven more athletes climbing the program's all-time leaderboards with top ten times.
"Coach Witzleben has taken a group of men and developed them throughout their time at Buffalo," said Head Coach Vicki Mitchell. "Fifth year Ryan Buzby developed into a school record holder in multiple events and now a MAC Champion. Alex Hislop and Johann Matzal both set marks that rank inside the school's all-time top ten, earning their place in program history. Our program is focused on student-athlete development and coach Witzleben's work demonstrates this is its best."
Buzby, Jonathan Surdej, Cory Demo, Noah Brightman, Fernando Sanchez and Evan Hilbert all earned Men's First Team All-MAC honors. Surdej won the seventh MAC Championship of his career in the shot put at the indoor championships with a mark of 17.12 meters. Buzby brought home one of the program's gold medals in the 5000 meter (14:36.50) and a silver medal in the 3000 meter (8:12.61). Demo, Brightman, Sanchez and Hilbert took gold in the 4000 meter medley relay with a time of 9:56.10.
Hislop and Kevin Gabalski also earned Men's Second Team All-MAC honors. Hislop finished second in the 5000 meter to Buzby (14:45.43), as Gabalski took second place in the men's heptathlon with a personal best score of 5,033.
On the women's side, Zahra Amos earned Women's First Team All-MAC honors after winning the high jump and earning her first MAC title. Amos' gold medal jump of 1.80 meters tied her school record jump from earlier this season.
Scilla Benussi earned Women's Second Team All-MAC honors for her second-place finish in the pentathlon. Benussi was the only pentathlon participant to finish top five in all five events.
The Bulls begin the outdoor season on March 28th at the Raleigh Relays.
For more coverage of Buffalo track & field, follow the program on X (@UB_XCTF), Instagram (@BullsTFXC) and Facebook ("Buffalo Track & Cross Country").
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