Bulls Rewrite UB Indoor Record Book at Penn State on Saturday

Saturday, January 17

University Park, PA

9:30 am

University at Buffalo

Nittany Lion Challenge

Bulls Rewrite UB Indoor Record Book at Penn State on Saturday

1/18/2026 10:42:00 AM | Track and Field

UNIVERSITY PARK, Penn. – The University at Buffalo track and field program competed at Penn State University's Nittany Lion Challenge on Saturday. The Bulls rewrote the UB indoor record book at the competition, posting seven performances that entered the program's all-time ranks.

"We had a strong return to action," said Program Director and Head Coach Vicki Mitchell. "Our team stayed prepared over the break by continuing their training and it showed."

DISTANCE

Vassi Klock (5^th, 4:52.44) and Bronagh Cassidy (13^th, 4:59.36) set personal best times in the mile. Klock's new personal record rose the UB indoor ranks to fifth all-time. Cassidy joined the ranks at ninth. Allison Newton (19^th, 5:06.73) trailed to finish inside the top 20, nearly reaching her personal best time of 5:05.08. Newton later won the 800-meter with a time of 2:15.98, with Bronagh Cassidy placing third (2:18.38).

Noah Brightman posted a personal best mile time of his own on the men's side, finishing the event in 4:10.58. Brightman's time earned the ninth spot in indoor program history and seventh in the event. Collin Stafford also posted a personal best time of 4:14.77, beating his previous best of 4:15.62.

Juliette Salazar joined the program ranks in the 600-meter with a time of 1:35.44. Salazar earned the fifth spot in program history with the performance.

Aidan Norris set a new personal best time in the 800-meter to place third. The sophomore's time of 1:51.97 earned the fifth spot in UB indoor history. Freshman Michael Huebner placed sixth in the event with a time of 1:55.98.

Four Bulls placed inside the top 10 of the women's 3,000-meter. Fiona Klingbeil finished second (10:22.30), Paris Welker earned fifth (10:41.45), Brianna Urban placed ninth (10:49.68) and Reese Wilber trailed in 10th (10:56.13). Welker was within three seconds of her indoor personal best in the event (10:38.76).

On the men's side of the 3,000-meter, Cameron Bogdan (4^th, 8:23.70) and Jacob Brink (5^th, 8:28.70) earned top five placements.

Meghana Reddy was the Bulls top finisher in the 1,000-meter, placing 18^th with a time of 2:59.70. The sophomore was just shy of reaching the program record book (2:56.33). Sophie Brettholtz also competed, placing 22^nd (3:02.52).

JUMPS

Linnea Neureuther rose the UB indoor record book ranks for the second time this season, moving from ninth to fourth in the triple jump with a new personal best of 12.50 meters. Neureuther placed fourth in the event overall, with Kara Moran taking fifth (11.90m) to put two Bulls inside the top five.

On the men's side of the triple jump, Nicalis Williams finished fourth with a mark of 13.91 meters. Mitch Diamond (6^th, 13.82m) and Micah Blair (7^th, 13.82m) also competed for the Bulls.

Blair won the men's long jump with a mark of 7.30 meters. The sophomore was within a tenth of a meter of his indoor personal best (7.38m), which ranks fifth in UB indoor history. Daniel Muccini also earned a top-three placement, taking third with a jump of 6.95 meters.

Uma Bhattacharjee (3^rd, 5.63m) and Moran (4^th, 5.54m) placed inside the top five of the women's long jump field of 23 athletes. Bhattacharjee's jump fell just shy of her indoor personal record (5.66m) and the UB indoor record book (5.71m). Krista Perry (11^th, 5.18) and Isa van Puffelen (19^th, 5.07m) also competed for the Bulls.

Ryan Cardichon earned a top three finish in the men's high jump, placing third with a mark of 2.06 meters. Cardichon fell just shy of his indoor personal best (2.07m), which ranks sixth in indoor program history. Tyler Norton (6^th, 1.91m) and Brady Hughes (8^th, 1.81m) also competed for the Bulls. On the women's side of the high jump, Adrianna Ellsworth finished 10^th (1.60m).

Brian Murphy placed fifth in the men's pole vault, posting a mark of 4.75 meters.

SPRINTS

Gemma Galligani competed in the finals round of the 60-meter hurdles, placing sixth with a time of 8.67 seconds. The junior qualified for the finals by placing eighth in the field of 26 runners with a time of 8.68 seconds. Michael Parks also qualified for the finals on the men's side, posting a time of 8.11 seconds in the preliminary round.

Galligani later competed in the 300-meter, setting a personal best time of 42.48 seconds to take the sixth spot in UB indoor history.

Hailey Martinez placed 17^th of 40 sprinters in the 60-meter dash, posting a personal best time of 7.78 seconds. Martinez fell just shy of the UB indoor record book (7.73). Bhattacharjee placed 20^th with a time of 7.81 seconds.

Sophia Sampson (10^th, 25.31) earned a top 10 finish in the women's 200-meter field of 35 sprinters. Martinez also placed inside the top 20 (17^th, 25.63). On the men's side, freshman Matthew Schaffert (8^th, 22.23) earned a top 10 placement too, falling just shy of the program's record book (21.77). Sam Mellinger finished 12^th in the event in 22.52), just shy of his indoor personal best (22.30). Braden Dunn also competed for the Bulls, placing 18^th (22.94).

Stephney Pryce placed sixth of 16 sprinters in the 400-meter dash (1:00.10). The junior was under two seconds shy of her personal best (58.91). On the men's side of the 400-meter dash the Bulls had three runners place inside the top 15. Malachi Taylor placed fourth (49.32), Rylee VanAlstine earned 10^th (49.90) and Kala'I Makanani finished 13^th (50.80).

The Bulls closed out the day of competition on the track by placing fifth of 13 teams in the men's 4x400-meter relay. Keoni Chong, VanAlstine, Makanani and Taylor finished the event with a time of 3:19.17. On the women's side, the Bulls placed seventh of 13 teams. Neureuther, Pryce, Martinez and Salazar finished the event in 3:53.85.

THROWS

Aiden Walker (16^th, 15.03m), Dominic Weatherly (17^th, 14.90m) and Bryson Bodner (18^th, 14.75m) competed for the Bulls in the shot put.

Faith Hamilton (17^th, 13.49m) made her season debut in the weight throw, setting a new personal best in the event . Julian Vitucci set a new personal record on the men's side, finishing 18^th with a mark of 15.01 meters.

All results from Penn State's Nittany Lion Challenge can be accessed here.

UP NEXT

The Bulls will next compete at the SPIRE Midwest Open on Saturday, January 24^th. A complete schedule for UB Track & Field can be found 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").

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