Bulls Enjoy Weekend of Personal Records at Bucknell Bison Outdoor Classic

Saturday, April 12

Lewisburg, PA

All Day

Bison Outdoor Classic

Photo by: Zahra Amos | UB Athletics

Bulls Enjoy Weekend of Personal Records at Bucknell Bison Outdoor Classic

4/14/2025 3:54:00 PM | Track and Field

LEWISBURG, PA – The University at Buffalo track and field program competed at Bucknell University this past Saturday through Monday. The Bulls continued their momentum at the Bison Outdoor Classic, having nine new performances join the UB record book.

"Each year the Bison Outdoor Classic is a key meet on our schedule to compete against quality programs," said Director and Head Coach Vicki Mitchell. "Favorable conditions on Sunday allowed our sprints and field athletes to capitalize with tremendous improvement. We are excited with the progress of the young groups that stepped up yet another level."

SATURDAY
Graduate transfers Rachel Hirschkind and Eliza Medearis highlighted day one for the Bulls, setting new personal records in the 3,000-meter steeplechase to move up the all-time UB outdoor ranks. Hirschkind placed fourth in a field of 62 runners with a time of 10:47.01 to rise to fourth all-time in UB outdoor history. Medearis' personal record performance of 10:57.89 took 11th place in the event and seventh in UB outdoor history.

Zahra Amos and Stella Kapp combined to win the women's high jump, tying for first place with a mark of 1.73 meters. The mark was a new personal record for Kapp. The freshman rose to tie for the seventh-ranked performance in UB outdoor history. The Bulls have re-written the outdoor high jump marks this season, with four of the top 10 performances being in 2025.

Matt Gensel posted a new personal record of 14:27.35 in the 5,000-meter to rank 10th in UB outdoor history. Gensel beat his previous best of 14:38.80 and the previous 10th-ranked time of Cory Demo (14:31.15) set in 2023. The junior's time ranks atop the Mid-American Conference this season.

On the women's side, Lacey Danilovitz posted a new personal best time of 17:41.18. Danilovitz beat her previous record, set last week at the Geneseo Season Opener with a time of 17:46.64. Paris Welker also competed for the Bulls, finishing with a time of 18:24.86.

After setting a new school record in the men's discus throw last weekend, Aiden Walker had another strong weekend at Bucknell, placing second in the field of 41 athletes with a mark of 54.39 meters. Walker also finished 15th in the men's shot put with a mark of 15.13 meters. Bryson Bodner competed in the shot put too, taking 24th with a throw of 14.40 meters.

Juliette Salazar posted a new personal record time of 2:13.21 in the women's 800-meter, placing 22nd in the field of 137 student-athletes. The sophomore fell just shy of the all-time UB outdoor top ten (2:12.26). Allison Newton also competed for the Bulls, finishing the event with a time of 2:13.42, just shy of her personal record in the event (2:13.19). Newton finished 24th in the field of 137.

Luke Stoeffler (5th, 9:06.35) and Collin Stafford (11th, 9:14.52) posted top 12 finishes in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase field of 60. Stoeffler was just over four seconds shy of his school record time in the event (9:02.16), with Stafford falling under two seconds shy of the UB all-time top 10 (9:12.97).

Connor Domoy finished the men's 10,000-meter open with a time of 31:01.87. The freshman was just over half a minute shy of reaching the UB outdoor top 10 (30:29.19). Domoy's time was a new UB freshman record, beating Gensel's record of 31:25.00 in 2023.

Bronagh Cassidy posted a season-best time of 4:37.58 in the women's 1,500-meter invite. Cassidy finished 38th in the field of 89 runners. The junior's time was just over three seconds shy of reaching the UB outdoor top 10 (4:34.56). Freshman Sophie Brettholtz set a new personal record in the 1,500-meter open with a time of 4:49.43 to finish 36th of 85 student-athletes.

Freshman Aidan Norris finished 15th in the men's 1,500-meter invite field of 82 with a time of 3:51.72. Norris was less than a second shy of his season-best time in the event (3:51.03) and the UB all-time top 10 (3:50.86). Vincent Guaresimo also competed for the Bulls, placing 32nd with a season-best time of 3:53.90.

Maria Akalonu (22nd, 12.33m) and Bernice Balk (23rd, 12.20) set season-best marks in the women's shot put. Akalonu also competed in the discus throw, placing 26th with a throw of 37.92.

Kara Moran competed in the women's long jump, finishing second in the field of 44 with a mark of 5.64 meters. Uma Bhattacharjee also competed for the Bulls, placing ninth with a jump of 5.34 meters.

On the men's side, freshman Micah Blair placed ninth of 41 competitors in the men's long jump with a mark of 6.64 meters. Blair's season-best mark is 7.10 meters.

SUNDAY
The Bulls opened day two of the meet by winning the women's 4x100-meter relay in a field of 20 teams, posting a time of 47.49. Bhattacharjee, Amber McDonald, Sophia Sampson and Hailey Martinez finished the event just over two seconds shy of the all-time outdoor record for the Bulls (45.29). The Bulls also finished third of 21 teams in the 4x400-meter relay. The team of Martinez, Stephney Pryce, Newton and Johanna Kleiner finished the event in 3:49.71. The time was the Bulls' fastest since 2021.

Sampson later joined the outdoor record book in the 100-meter dash, finishing fifth in the field of 91 sprinters with a time of 11.95 seconds. Sampson's time ties Crystal Graham in the record book, who set her record in 2012. Martinez (13th, 12.16), Bhattacharjee (16th, 12.20) and McDonald (19th, 12.22) all placed inside the top 20 too.

Sampson doubled back to set a new personal record in the women's 200-meter dash with a time of 24.50 to rank fourth all-time in UB outdoor history. The freshman surpassed her previous record of 25.05 set at the Richmond Invite. Martinez (24th, 25.24), Shannon Schmieder (34th, 25.41) and Pryce (37th, 25.52) all posted top-40 finishes in the field of 102 competitors. Pryce and Martinez's times were both outdoor personal records.

Pryce also set a new personal record in the women's 400-meter dash with a time of 58.01 to place 17th of 105 sprinters. Schmieder (23rd, 58.51) and Kleiner (35th, 59.10) also competed for the Bulls, with Kleiner's time being an outdoor personal best. On the men's side, Fernando Sanchez placed 36th in a field of 104 student-athletes with a time of 49.94. Sanchez was just shy of his personal record in the event (48.57).

Linnea Neureuther posted a new personal record time of 1:01.34 in the 400-meter hurdles, joining the UB outdoor record book to rank fifth all-time. The freshman finished second in the field of 64 competitors. Gemma Galligani (27th, 1:05.47) and Lindy Betrus (30th, 1:05.61) also competed for the Bulls.

Galligani posted a new personal record in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.27 to place 6th in a field of 70 athletes. Galligani was under two-tenths of a second shy of reaching the UB all-time outdoor top 10 (14.11). Neureuther also competed for the Bulls, finishing 11th with a time of 14.62.

Kenneth Gulloso set a new hammer throw personal record of 52.86 meters, ranking eighth all-time in UB history. The junior beat his previous best of 52.27 meters, set last outdoor season at the St John Fisher Cardinal Classic. Michael Dearie also competed for the Bulls, setting a personal record of his own (45.54m).

On the women's side, Loretta White had a new personal record of 48.52 meters. White placed 15th of 34 competitors. Faith Hamilton finished 32nd with a throw of 42.74 meters, a new personal record for the freshman.

Blair finished 11th of 42 competitors in the triple jump with a new personal record mark of 13.89 meters. The freshman beat his previous best of 13.51 meters set at the Raleigh Relays.

WOMEN'S HEPTATHLON
The women's heptathlon began on Sunday and closed out the three-day competition on Monday.

Isa van Puffelen was the Bulls' top finisher in the heptathlon, placing second of the 13 athletes. The freshman's debut score of 5,020 joined the all-time UB outdoor record book to rank sixth.

van Puffelen posted personal records in all four events on day one. The freshman's time of 14.99 in the 100-meter hurdles earned a fifth-place finish, followed by a second-place finish in the high jump and a mark of 1.63 meters. van Puffelen then finished sixth in the shot put with a throw of 10.39 meters and fifth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 26.01 seconds to close out day one.

van Puffelen opened day two by taking first place in the long jump with a mark of 5.65 meters. The freshman was one one-hundredth shy of her outdoor personal record in the event (5.66m). van Puffelen closed out the heptathlon with a fourth-place finish in the javelin throw (28.80m) and a third-place finish in the 800-meter (2:17.53).

Krista Perry also competed in the heptathlon for the Bulls, earning a fourth-place finish. Perry's score of 4,619 in her heptathlon debut just missed the all-time UB outdoor leaderboard (4,653).

Perry started day one with a third-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles and a time of 14.58. The freshman then placed ninth in the high jump (1.45m) and fourth in the shot put (11.10m). Perry's shot put mark was a new personal record. The freshman closed out day one by taking eighth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 26.59 seconds.

Perry opened day two by finishing fourth in the long jump (5.10m), followed by taking third in the javelin throw with a mark of 30.86 meters. The freshman closed out the heptathlon by placing sixth in the 800-meter (2:27.34).

All results from the three-day competition can be found here.

The Bulls will next compete at home on Friday, April 18th as the program hosts the annual UB Alumni Invitational. The action is scheduled to begin at 3 pm. All meet information and a complete schedule for UB Track & Field can be found here.

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