Bucknell University Athletics
Six Bison Track and Field Athletes Headed to NCAA Regionals in Florida
5/26/2004 8:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
May 26, 2004
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Five Bucknell women and one man will represent Bucknell this weekend at the NCAA Track and Field East Regionals held at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla., Friday and Saturday. Noel Powell was the one male Bison to qualify, while the Patriot League champion women's team will send Melanie Buczko, Tolu Fayanjuola, Ann Doty, Angie Hall and Maria Garcia to compete with other track and field athletes from up and down the east coast.
Garcia (Providence, R.I./Hope) will be up first as the women's hammer throw competition will be the first event at noon on Friday. Garcia had a streak this season in which she broke the Bucknell record for five straight weeks, culminating in a Patriot League title toss of 202'8".
Buczko (Butler, Pa./Butler) and Hall (Elkton, Md./Rising Sun) will be the next Bison to compete, with the pole vault starting at 3 p.m. Two weekends ago at the ECAC Championships, Buczko became the first Bison woman to vault over 13', setting the school record at 13' 3 ?". Hall's top height is 12'3 ?".
Powell (Tamaqua, Pa./Tamaqua) and Fayanjuola (Providence, R.I./Classical) will follow with their respective long jump competitions at 6 p.m. Powell set a new school outdoor record this year with a leap of 24'10 ?". Fayanjuola was the Patriot League champ in the event this year, setting a Bucknell record on the women's side, flying 19'8 ?".
Fayanjuola will also run in the preliminary 100 meter race at 6:30 p.m., with the finals to take place on Saturday, if she qualifies, at 7 p.m. Fayanjuola's top 100 time is 12.12 seconds, fourth on Bucknell's all-time list, after qualifying for regional competition by winning the Patriot League title in the event.
Other than Fayanjuola's possible final, Doty (Punxsutawney, Pa./Punxsutawney) will be the only Bison competing on Saturday. The freshman will participate in the triple jump at 6 p.m. after winning the Patriot League title almost one month ago. Her personal best of 38'11 ?" stands second on Bucknell's all-time list.
The top five finishers in each event from each of the four regions will qualify for the NCAA Championships held June 9-12 in Austin, Texas. In addition, the top five athletes in each event from throughout the country, based on season bests, who did not make the top five in their events at the regionals, will have the opportunity to participate in the NCAA Championships as well.
