Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's Women's Track and Field Team Picked to Finish on Top of Patriot League
11/30/2005 7:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
Nov. 30, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell's women's indoor track team was picked to finish first in the Patriot League this upcoming season, with 94 total points and 11 first-place votes, in a vote by the league's head coaches and sports information directors, as announced by the PL office on Wednesday. If the prediction holds true, the Bison will collect their fifth consecutive PL title, with Navy and Army finishing tied for second place.
Junior captain Melanie Buczko (Butler, Pa./Butler) will serve as one of Bucknell's strongest returners, as she won the league title in last year's indoor championships in the pole vault, with a mark of 12 feet, 3 ½ inches. She also placed second at the PL meet in the 60 meter hurdles, with a time of 8.95 seconds. Last season, she represented Bucknell at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships and competed in the pole vault, serving as the second athlete in the history of the program to qualify for the national meet.
Junior Marjorie Grap (Van Etten, N.Y./Spencer-Van Etten) is also returning to the program after winning a pair of gold medals at the PL Championships last season, both in the weight throw (55-0) and in the shot put (44-3¼), while junior captain Nina Reinhardt (Northport, N.Y./Northport) will be a strong competitor in the pentathlon, after winning the event at last year's PL meet with a final score of 3,184 points.
Senior Kayla Haloran (Norwell, Mass./Norwell) is the reining PL champion in the 5,000 (17:32.89), while also turning in a second-place finish in the 3,000 at last year's meet (10:13.48). Juniors Lauren Bricker (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield), Christa Sawko (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville Area) and Ann Doty (Punxsutawney/Punxsutawney Area) round-out Bucknell's returning PL champions in the 800 (2:15.45), 1,000 (2:55.20) and the triple jump (38-2¾), respectively.
On the men's side of the poll, the Bison were picked to finish sixth, ahead of Colgate and Holy Cross, with Navy picked to finish first.
Under the command of head coach Kevin Donner, the Bison will open up their season on Saturday, Dec. 3, at home, at the Bison Opener, and will return to action after the holiday on Jan. 7, at home, hosting the Gulden Relays.
