Christa M. Sawko (2020) - Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame

Christa M. Sawko

Induction:
2020
Class:
2007

Montoursville, Pa., native Christa Sawko became the third member of the Bucknell women's track and field Class of 2007 to be elected to the Hall of Fame, joining pole vaulter/hurdler Melanie Buczko and thrower Marjorie Grap. Sawko, one of the top middle-distance runners in school history, graduated with a whopping 14 Patriot League gold medals, seven indoors and seven outdoors, and she was an eight-time All-East selection and two-time NCAA Regional qualifier.

Sawko won at least one individual gold medal in seven of her eight Patriot League Championships appearances, missing out only at her freshman-year outdoor meet. In her indoor career, she won the 800-meter title as a freshman, the 1,000 as a sophomore, and then exploded as a junior, claiming Track Athlete of the Meet honors after winning the 1,000 and the 4x400 and 4x800 relays. She helped shatter the conference record in the 4x800, and then as a senior she won both the 800 and 4x800 titles. Sawko was also a four-time All-East honoree indoors, highlighted by a runner-up finish in the 4x800 relay as a junior and a third-place finish in the open 800 as a senior.

Outdoors, Sawko captured both the 800 and 4x800 Patriot League titles in each of her final three seasons, and she added the 1,500-meter title to the list in 2007. She earned four more All-East certificates outdoors, including an ECAC gold medal in the 4x800 relay in 2005. Sawko also qualified for the NCAA Regionals in the 800 as both a junior and senior, finishing as high as 14th.

Sawko's name appeared all over the top of the Bucknell record board when she graduated, and many of those school records held up for many years. She owned the school record in the outdoor 800 (2:08.98) for 11 years and both the indoor 1,000 (2:53.90) and outdoor 1,500 (4:28.28) for seven years. She also helped break school records in the 4x800, distance medley and sprint medley relays. Her top indoor 800 time of 2:09.18 ranked second only to Hall-of-Famer Stephanie Bango.

Also a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection as a senior, Sawko was actually recruited to Bucknell as a 400-meter hurdler, and she placed 17th in that event at the 2004 Junior National Championships.