Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Track and Field Alumni Win Charity 10K Event, Give Prize to Bison Program
5/26/2004 8:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
May 26, 2004
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Former Bucknell track and field athletes, including a few from the current graduating class, teamed up to run in a 10K event in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, May 16, sponsored by Sallie Mae, the federal agency that assists in student loan programs. The Bison alumni squad won the race, claiming a $10,000 prize for their alma mater. The group plans to donate the money to the Bucknell track and field program's Spiked Shoe Club.
Bucknell's team was one of 17 alumni teams to participate, including Cornell, Georgia Tech, Holy Cross, Iowa, James Madison, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Penn State, Purdue, Stanford, Virginia, Virginia Tech and VMI.
Rick Rountree '00 (31:22, eighth overall) and Evan Honeyfield '02 (31:58, 12th overall) were the top two finishers in the men's alumni category, and Laura (Gaydos) Freix '83 (39:14, 20th overall) and Denise Cardamone '00 (41:17, 29th overall) were the top two finishers in the women's alumni category. Bucknell used those finishes to cruise to victory, as the scoring was based on the combined times of the top two men and women from each team.
Other Bucknellians who ran were Chris Nowakowski '00 (33:16, 16th overall), Joe Cresko '87 (33:57, 19th overall), Matt Kodak '99 (34:20, 22nd overall), George Buckheit '79 (35:41, 37th overall), Wally Dietrich '99 (38:03), Dave Ledgerwood '99 (41:04), Cindy Carlson '04 (44:06) and Lori Scott '87 (52:23). Moral support was provided by Eric Allgaier '82.
Full race results can be seen at http://www.salliemaefund.org.
"The willingness of our alums to travel long distances to participate in events like this is what sets our program apart from all others," said Buckheit.
Buckheit noted that the alumni began getting together for such races in the late 1980s, first competing in a series of similar events throughout the country sponsored by the Alamo car rental company. Now using a group e-mail and Web site to keep in touch, the growing group of alumni has since competed in several Hood-to-Coast relays in Oregon and Reach the Beach events in New Hampshire. Buckheit said that this is the second year a Bucknell alumni team has competed in - and won - the Sallie Mae race, with stakes being raised from $1,000 for first last year to the current level.
Brian Fullem '86 also noted that in the last few years, Bucknell alumni teams have raised $70,000 for leukemia and cancer causes by running in the New Hampshire races. Their head coach, Art Gulden, passed away in 2001 after a long battle with cancer.
"We never have any trouble rallying the troops for the fundraising races like Alamo and Sallie Mae. All of the alums who are involved in our alumni group had great experiences as student-athletes while attending Bucknell and are always very willing to do what they can to give something back to Bucknell. Being able to win some prize money that will be used to directly benefit the current Bucknell cross country/track and field athletes is a great way for us to do that," said Buckheit.
"It's particularly important that we continue to support events like this that allow us to give something back to Bucknell in a very tangible way. The $10,000 that we won will go a long way toward helping the current student-athletes enjoy the same opportunities to compete that we had when we were students. In addition, some of the money will also go towards the placement of a memorial to the man who is responsible for leading the cross country/track and field program at Bucknell to national prominence, Coach Gulden, in the area just outside the entrance to the fieldhouse."
Gulden coached at Bucknell for 31 years before his passing. The alums are seeking donations to help move the memorial project forward.
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