Bulls Earn Ten Postseason Awards Following MAC Outdoor Championships
5/15/2024 2:00:00 PM | Track and Field
CLEVELAND, OHIO – The Mid-American Conference announced postseason awards for the track & field outdoor season on Wednesday, with the Bulls earning ten total honors.
Coach Jim Garnham Sr. was named the Men's Assistant Coach of the Year for the outdoor season. Under Garnham's guidance, Buffalo throwers brought home three medals at this year's MAC Championships. Jonathan Surdej won the men's shot put title, marking the 14th consecutive outdoor season that Buffalo won the men's shot put championship. Jenna Reid defended Buffalo's javelin throw title, marking the second consecutive season that the Bulls took gold in the event. Scilla Benussi also brought home a bronze medal in the javelin throw, her second medal in the event under Garnham's guidance. Coach Garnham's student-athletes have now won over 40 individual MAC Championships throughout 24 seasons. The longtime coach is retiring at the end of the outdoor season.
Surdej earned the Men's Most Outstanding Field Performer award and First Team All-MAC honors after winning his eighth consecutive MAC shot put title with a mark of 17.77 meters, falling just short of his personal record outdoor throw of 17.82 meters. Surdej's eighth MAC championship ties Mark Smith from Eastern Michigan (1982-1986) for the most individual MAC Championships in program history. The graduate student is the only athlete in conference history to win eight consecutive individual MAC championships.
Reid earned First Team All-MAC honors too after taking gold in the women's javelin throw with a new season best in the event of 44.92 meters, ranking third in UB outdoor history. The graduate student is the third MAC Champion in the event for Buffalo, joining Benussi (2023) and Vanessa Roelofson (2007 & 2008).
Zahra Amos was also named to the All-MAC First Team for winning the Bulls' third gold medal of the outdoor conference championships. Amos successfully defended her MAC indoor high jump title at the outdoor championships, setting a new personal best mark of 1.76 meters and tying Zaria Fuller for third all-time in UB outdoor history.
Tal Hamel earned Second-Team All-MAC honors, taking silver in the men's 200 meter and 400 meter dash finals. Hamel broke the long-standing school record in the 200 meter twice over the weekend, finishing the preliminary round in 20.95 and doubling back in the finals with a time of 20.87. Hamel's silver medal in the 400 meter came with a time of 47.33, just two-tenths of a second shy of his personal record that ranks fourth all-time in UB outdoor history (47.19).
Evan Hilbert was named to the All-MAC Second Team for his silver medal in the men's 1,500 meter. Hilbert's time of 3:46.72 was just four seconds shy of his outdoor school record mark. The senior's medal was the third of his career at Buffalo.
Kevin Gabalski earned Second Team All-MAC honors for his second-place finish in the men's decathlon with a score of 6,615. The junior's score was a new personal record in the event, ranking seventh all-time in school outdoor history. Gabalski was one of two competitors in the decathlon to finish top five in all ten events.
Benussi was also named to the All-MAC Second Team for her silver medal in the women's heptathlon with a score of 5,240. The senior's final score was 26 points shy of her personal record in the event that ranks second all-time in UB outdoor history. Benussi had top-five finishes in six of the seven heptathlon events, including a win in the javelin throw.
Ryan Buzby earned Second Team All-MAC honors too after setting a new personal record and finishing second in the 10,000 meter with a time of 29:50.40. Buzby's new personal record ranks second all-time in UB outdoor history, trailing only Liam Hilbert (2021, 29:33.88). Buzby closed out the weekend also earning a bronze medal in the men's 5,000 meter.
All results and information from the 2024 MAC Outdoor Championships can be accessed here.
For more coverage of Buffalo men's and women's Track & Field, follow the program on X (@UB_XCTF), Instagram (@BullsTFXC) and Facebook ("Buffalo Track & Cross Country").
Players Mentioned
