University at Buffalo
Jesse Owens Classic
Track & Field To Compete at Ohio State Jesse Owens Classic This Friday and Saturday
4/30/2026 10:35:00 AM | Track and Field
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo track and field program is traveling to Ohio State this weekend, competing at the Jesse Owens Classic on Friday and Saturday. The Bulls return to Ohio State for the second consecutive season.
The program enters the meet with momentum from a strong outdoor season. The Bulls have added 27 new performances to the program's all-time outdoor rankings. Luke Stoeffler most recently set a new personal record in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase to rank second in UB outdoor history with a time of 8:56.15. The Bulls had five more performances join the rankings at the program's UB Alumni Invite, with Gemma Galligani, Amari Hall, Stella Kapp, Linnea Neureuther and Malachi Taylor all posting personal best marks.
FRIDAY
Action at Ohio State begins on Friday at noon with the women's javelin throw and the men's hammer throw. Kapp and Krista Perry will compete in the javelin throw. Kapp posted a personal best performance of 37.43 meters in the event at Geneseo to rank 10th in program history. Kenneth Gulloso is set to participate in the hammer throw following a season-best performance of 56.50 meters at Fredonia last weekend.
Galligani and Linnea Neureuther begin track events for the Bulls at 4:30 p.m. in the women's 400-meter hurdles. The duo both set personal best performances at the UB Alumni Invite, with Neureuther posting a time of 1:00.28 to remain at third in program history and Galligani rising to sixth with a time of 1:01.14.
The Bulls will have up to 12 athletes compete in the 1,500-meter between the men's and women's races. The women's event is expected to begin at 4:57 p.m. Vassi Klock (2nd, 4:25.26) and Bronagh Cassidy (10th, 4:32.20) set personal best performances in the event at the Raleigh Relays to enter the program's all-time top 10. Noah Brightman (3rd, 3:46.89) and Vincent Guaresimo (8th, 3:50.02) did the same at the Bucknell Bison Outdoor Classic. The men's 1,500-meter is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m.
The women's 200-meter dash is scheduled to start at 6 p.m., followed by the men's 200-meter dash. The Bulls have had success in the event this season, with Matthew Schaffert posting a personal best time of 21.36, which ranks sixth in program history. Keoni Chong's personal record of 21.55 also nearly joined the program's all-time top 10 (21.51). The two will compete alongside Fernando Sanchez on the men's side. Hailey Martinez is slated to participate for the women.
The Bulls will close out Friday with the men's and women's 5,000-meter run. The women are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
Day two at Ohio State begins with the men's and women's triple jump scheduled for 11 a.m. Micah Blair's personal best of 14.68 meters was set this season at the Raleigh Relays and ranks eighth in program history. Williams' personal best of 14.59 meters sits just outside of UB outdoor history (14.64m). Mitch Diamond will also compete for the Bulls. On the women's side, Hall, Kara Moran and Neureuther are all slated to participate. All three are in the program's all-time outdoor rankings, with Neureuther leading the way at fourth in UB history (12.56m). Hall joined the program's rankings at 10th at the UB Alumni Invite with a mark of 11.99 meters.
Kapp will compete in the women's high jump on day two, which is scheduled for noon. The sophomore set a personal best performance at the Bulls' home meet of 1.76 meters to rank fifth in program history. Adriana Ellsworth is also set to participate, with her personal best mark of 1.71 meters ranking eighth in program history.
Bryson Bodner and Dominic Weatherly will compete in the shot put for the Bulls at 1:30 p.m., the only throwing event for the program on day two. Bodner posted a personal best distance in the event of 16.46 meters at the Bulls' home meet.
The women's 100-meter hurdles heats are scheduled for 1 p.m., with the men's 110-meter hurdles slated to follow. Michael Parks has headlined for the hurdlers this year, setting a new school record in the event twice this season. The senior's time of 13.72 seconds surpassed the previous record of 13.96 seconds by over two-tenths of a second. On the women's side, Neureuther (4th, 13.76) and Galligani (8th, 13.85) also added performances to the record book. The two will participate in the event alongside Olga Skolasinska and Isa van Puffelen.
The Buffalo men will compete in the 4x100-meter relay at 2:22 p.m. The Bulls got close to breaking the program's record at Cornell, with Chong, Diamond, Parks and Schaffert posting a time of 40.67 seconds. The performance was within a second of the record that has stood since 2014 (39.88).
The competition will be rounded out on Saturday with the Bulls competing in both the men's and women's 4x400-meter relay. The women's event is scheduled for 5:10 p.m., with the men to follow.
Live results from the Jesse Owens Classic.
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Players Mentioned
