Bucknell University Athletics
Ten Bison Qualify For ECAC/IC4A Meets With Strong Performances At Penn State National Open On Saturday
1/29/2001 7:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
Jan. 29, 2001
Lewisburg, Pa. - A select group of individuals from the Bucknell indoor track & field team spent the weekend attempting to qualify for the ECAC and IC4A meets. The Bison were able to qualify for ECAC/IC4A's in ten different events as well as having nine individuals post times good enough for the BU all-time performers chart.
Turning in an outstanding performance for the women's team was junior Stephanie Bango (Smethport, Pa./Smethport) in the 800-meter run. Bango broke her own Bucknell record by running the event in 2:09.43 and was also a provisional National qualifier. Bango's roommate at Bucknell, junior Becki Marshall (Montgomery, N.Y./Pine Bush Central), qualified for ECAC's in the 3000-meter run with a time of 9:52.09. Marshall now owns the second best time in school history in the event.
Three other individuals on the women's team qualified for the ECAC meet. In the 500-meter dash, junior LaTonya McSwain (Cleveland, Ohio/Hawken) and senior Laura Ryan (Blue Bell, Pa./Wissahickon) both qualified for ECAC's by crossing the finish line with times of 1:16.07 and 1:16.45, respectively. Ryan leapfrogged on the all-time performers list up to 3rd place with her time on Saturday. The fifth and final ECAC qualifier was the 4x400-meter relay team, which snagged the fourth best time in school history of 3:53.05. The 4x400 team is comprised of McSwain, junior Christie Wolfgang (Rossiter, Pa./Punxsatawney), Ryan, and Bango.
Sophomore Charity Brady (Warren, Ohio/Warren G. Harding) improved her personal best time in the 200-meter dash with a 26.28 clocking. Brady now has the fifth best time in the books at Bucknell University. In the 1000-meter run, junior Kelly McConnell (Danville, Pa./Danville) ran a time of 3:00.12 putting her in eighth place all-time for the Bison.
On the men's side of the track, the 4x400-meter relay team turned in the most notable performance by marking the fifth best time in school history. The team, which qualified for IC4A's with a time of 3:20.21, was comprised of sophomore Brian Klotz (York, Pa./Dallastown Area), freshman Justin Crane (Allentown, Pa./Emmaus), senior Andy Hunsberger (Southampton, Pa./William Tennent) and freshman Chris Edwards (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area). The men's distance medley relay team of junior P.J. Ward (Mountaintop, Pa./Crestwood), Hunsberger, senior Matt Davis (Bay Head, N.J./The Peddie School) and Furst also qualified for IC4A's by clocking in at 10:09.09.
Sophomore Eric Furst (Goshen, N.Y./Goshen Central) turned in the 9th best time in school history in the 1000-meter run with a time of 2:27.75. Furst also qualified for IC4A's with his performance in the 1000-meter run. The only other member of the men's team to see his name placed in the all-time performers list was Hunsberger. Hunsberger ran the 500-meter run in a time of 1:06.16, good enough for 10th in the BU charts.
Rounding out the IC4A's qualifier's for the men's team was junior David Gabriel (Sayre, Pa./Athens Area) and senior Ryan Stairs (Somerset, Pa./Somerset Area). Gabriel, the Bucknell record-holder in the 200-meter dash, ran the race in 22.13 to qualify for IC4A's. Stairs, a thrower on the Bison roster, qualified for IC4A's with a toss of 58' 10 ?" in the 35 lb. weight throw.
The Penn State National Open was an encouraging meet for the Bucknell indoor track team as they prepare this week to head to Colgate University on Saturday, February 3.
