University at Buffalo
Big Red Invite
Parks Sets School Record as Bulls Add Eight Performances to Program Record Book at Cornell
4/13/2026 9:50:00 AM | Track and Field
ITHACA, NY - The University at Buffalo track and field program competed at Cornell University's Big Red Invite on Saturday and Sunday. The Bulls added eight performances to the program's all-time outdoor record book, highlighted by Michael Parks setting the 110-meter hurdles school record for the second weekend in a row.
SPRINTS
Parks made history early in the meet for the Bulls, breaking his own school record in the 110-meter hurdles with a new personal best of 13.72 seconds in the preliminary round of the event. The time surpassed his previous best of 13.95 by over two tenths of a second. The senior went on to win the finals of the event, posting a time of 13.74.
Gemma Galligani and Linnea Neureuther made history in the women's 100-meter hurdles. The duo earned the top two spots in the preliminary round to qualify for the finals, with Neureuther taking first (13.76) and Galligani in second (13.85). Both times were personal records, with Neureuther's performance ranking fourth in program history and Galligani earning eighth. Olga Skolasinska also qualified for the finals of the event with a personal best time of 14.34 to take seventh of 34 sprinters in the preliminary round. Galligani doubled back to earn second in the finals (13.87), as Skolasinska placed sixth (14.57). Neureuther didn't compete in the finals round.
Matthew Schaffert (3rd, 10.47) and Keoni Chong (4th, 10.47) competed in the finals round of the 100-meter dash, posting top five placements. Schaffert (2nd, 10.47), Chong (4th, 10.60) and Parks (6th, 10.73) all qualified for the finals of the event by placing top eight in the field of 26 runners. Parks did not compete in the finals. Schaffert's preliminary round time rose to third in program history, while Chong's preliminary round time earned ninth. Finals times were not made official due to high winds.
Amber McDonald (5th, 12.07) and Hailey Martinez (7th, 12.12) both competed in the women's 100-meter finals. McDonald nearly joined the program's all-time top 10 (12.02) with her finals time of 12.07 seconds. Martinez (5th, 12.11), McDonald (6th, 12.13) and Sampson (7th, 12.14) all qualified for the finals by placing inside the top eight in the field of 25 sprinters. Sampson didn't compete in the finals. Uma Bhattacharjee (9th, 12.27) and Shannon Schmieder (13th, 12.48) also competed for the Bulls in the preliminary round.
The Buffalo men won the 4x100-meter relay. Parks, Chong, Mitch Diamond and Schaffert finished the event in 40.67. The team's relay time was a season best and within a second of the Bulls' outdoor school record (39.88). The program's record has stood since 2014.
On the women's side of the 4x100-meter, the Bulls placed second. Bhattacharjee, McDonald, Sampson and Martinez finished the event in 46.67, under two seconds shy of the program's outdoor record (45.29). The time was a season best for the women too, surpassing the program's previous best of 46.89 set at the program's season-opening meet at Richmond.
Malachi Taylor won the men's 400-meter dash, taking first place of 18 sprinters with a time of 48.56. The time was within three tenths of a second of his personal record in the event (48.27). On the women's side, Stephney Pryce (8th, 58.62) and Jayne Williams (9th, 58.79) earned top 10 placements.
The Bulls closed out events on the track by competing in the men's and women's 200-meter dash. Schaffert was the program's top finisher on the men's side, placing second with a time of 21.77. Schaffert's time was less than three-tenths of a second shy of reaching the program's record book (21.51). Chong (4th, 21.88) and Taylor (10th, 22.37) rounded out the men's competitors by also earning top 10 placements. On the women's side, Sampson was the team's top finisher, taking sixth (25.11). Pryce (11th, 25.70) and McDonald (12th, 25.73) earned top 12 placements in the field of 42 sprinters. Schmieder (14th, 25.76) and Williams (18th, 26.14) put five Bulls inside the top 18 sprinters to place.
WOMEN'S HEPTATHLON
Krista Perry had a historic performance in the women's heptathlon, winning the event with a personal best score of 4,772. The score joined the program record book to rank 10th all-time in UB outdoor history. The senior won four of the seven events, placing no lower than fourth in the field of six athletes.
Perry opened the meet by taking first place in the 100-meter hurdles with a personal record time of 14.26 seconds. The senior's time fell within two tenths of a second of the UB outdoor record book (14.07). Perry then posted a mark of 1.58 meters in the high jump to take first place in the event. The senior earned a new personal best in the shot put with a mark of 12.22 meters to earn her third first place finish. Perry rounded out day one by taking fourth in the 200-meter. The senior opened day two by finishing second in the long jump with a mark of 4.94 meters and first in the javelin throw with a distance of 32.27 meters. Perry rounded out the historic performance by taking third in the 800-meter (2:32.56).
JUMPS
Brian Murphy started the momentum for the jumps program by finishing third in the pole vault with a personal record mark of 4.85 meters. The performance was a new outdoor personal best for the senior who is now tied to rank fourth in program history.
Kara Moran kept the momentum going for the Bulls, winning the women's long jump with a mark of 5.74 meters. Uma Bhattacharjee placed second with a distance of 5.64 meters. Schmieder added another top five placement for the Bulls (5th, 5.47m).
Micah Blair won both the men's long jump (7.21m) and the triple jump (14.74m). The sophomore's mark of 14.74m earned the eighth spot in UB outdoor history, beating his previous record of 14.68 meters. Nicalis Williams earned second only to Blair in the triple jump with a mark of 14.43 meters. Freshman Mitch Diamond placed fifth in the event too (13.73m). Ryan Cardichon competed alongside Blair in the long jump, earning sixth (6.48m).
On the women's side of the triple jump, Neureuther tied her personal record of 12.56 meters that ranks fourth in program history and fourth in the conference. Amari Hall (3rd, 11.67m) and Kara Moran (5th, 11.16m) both earned top five placements too.
Stella Kapp placed second in the women's high jump with a season best mark of 1.70 meters. The sophomore was just shy of her personal record that ranks seventh in program history (1.73m). Adriana Ellsworth also competed, placing sixth (1.61m). On the men's side, Daniel Richardson (2nd, 1.97m) and Ryan Cardichon (3rd, 1.94m) both earned top three placements. Richardson's mark was a new outdoor personal best.
THROWS
Maria Akalonu and Bernice Balk began Sunday morning on a strong note for the Bulls, both earning top five placements in the discus throw. Akalonu earned second with a mark of 36.38 meters, with Balk in fifth posting a distance of 33.83 meters.
Akalonu also placed fourth in the shot put invitational with a mark of 13.05 meters. The sophomore was a tenth of a meter shy of her personal best in the event (13.15m). Balk placed 11th (9.37m). Loretta White won the open section of the shot put with a distance of 11.38 meters. White later placed second in the women's hammer throw invitational with a mark of 51.30 meters, a new personal record for the junior.
Kapp placed third of 21 athletes in the women's javelin throw with a mark of 34.44 meters. The sophomore joined the program's all-time top 10 last week with a personal record of 37.43 meters at Geneseo. On the men's side, Brady Hughes earned third with a distance of 47.22 meters. Hughes' time was a personal record.
Bryson Bodner finished sixth in the men's shot put invitational. The sophomore posted a distance of 15.89 meters. Freshman Dominic Weatherly placed eighth with an outdoor personal best mark of 15.16 meters. Weatherly also earned ninth in the men's discus throw invitational with a personal record mark of 40.37m.
Kenneth Gulloso placed fifth in the men's hammer throw invitational with a mark of 55.51 meters. The mark was just shy of his season best performance (55.58m). In the men's hammer throw open, freshman Julian Vitucci placed fourth of 10 athletes with a mark of 46.32 meters.
All results from the Big Red Invite.
UP NEXT
The Bulls will next compete at home, hosting the UB Alumni Invite at Broadview Stadium on UB's North Campus on Friday, April 17th. Complete schedule for UB Track & Field. More information regarding the home meet.
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Players Mentioned
