Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Track & Field Prepares for Patriot League Championships
2/16/2006 7:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
Feb. 16, 2006
LEWISBURG, Pa. -
Patriot League Championships - Schedule of Events
The Bucknell track and field program will travel to Annapolis, Md., for the Patriot League Championships, hosted by Navy, on Feb. 17-19. The women's team will look to score its fifth consecutive indoor league victory, while the men hope to pull off a major upset.
Women's Preview
As the defending Patriot League Champions, the women will bring nine individual 2005 league champions and nine individual 2006 ECAC Championship qualifiers to this year's league event. Junior Nina Reinhardt (Northport, N.Y./Northport) won last season's pentathlon with a score of 3184, while senior Danielle Todman (should also be a threat in the multi-events, as she posted a second-place finish with a score of 3070.
In the 800-meter run, junior Lauren Bricker (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield Area) is the defending champion, with a time of 2 minutes, 15.45 seconds. This season, Bricker clocked a personal best time of 2:14.29 in the event, while also qualifying for the ECAC's in the 1000, with a time of 2:25.38.
Junior Christa Sawko (Montoursville, Pa/Montoursville), who qualified for the 2006 ECAC's in both the 800 (2:12.05) and the 1000 (2:57.30), will look to defend her 2005 title in the 1000. Sawko currently ranks first in the 800, fourth in the 1000 and second in 500 in the Patriot League (1:16.74).
In distance events, senior Kayla Halloran (Norwell, Mass./Norwell) returns as the champion in the 5000 (17:32.89), while junior Jenny Stevens (Laceyville, Pa./Wyalusing Valley), sophomore Erin Cranmer-Hart (Slippery Rock, Pa./Slippery Rock Area) and senior Leanna Nastase (Beaverdale, Pa./Forest Hills) should also be competitive in the distance category. Both Stevens and Cranmer-Hart qualified for the ECAC's in the mile and Nastase earned a place the 5000.
In field events, junior Ann Doty (Punxsutawney, Pa./Punxsutawney) returns to defend her title in the triple jump (32 feet, 2 3/4 inches), while junior Melanie Buczko (Butler, Pa./Butler Area) will try to earn another victory in the pole vault (12-3 1/2). Junior Marjorie Grap (Van Etten, N.Y./Spencer-Van Etten) won both the weight throw (55-0) and the shot put (44-3 3/4) in 2005, and looks to be the favorite in both events in 2006. Doty qualified for the ECAC's in the triple jump (38-6 3/4), while Buczko secured a spot the pole vault (11-9 3/4) and Grap in the weight throw (58-9 1/4). All three athletes are currently ranked first in the Patriot League in their respective events.
Earlier in the season, both Buczko and Grap set Gerhard Fieldhouse records and hit the NCAA Provisional Mark with marks of 13-3 1/2 and 64-9 1/4, respectively.
Reinhardt currently ranks first in the league in the long jump, with a leap of 18-8.
Junior Catherine Trentacoste (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) should be a threat for the Bison in sprints and hurdles, as she recently earned a place at the ECAC's and became the all-time number two finisher in the Orange and Blue record books in the 55-hurdles (8.27).
Men's Preview
After a disappointing sixth-place finish at last season's league championships, Bucknell's men's squad is much improved and ready to fight for the championship title in 2006. Although the men do not return any individual champions, the squad will bring eight individual IC4A qualifiers to the league championships.
Junior Tyler Hoffman (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg) was the first Bison to qualify for the IC4A's and did so at the first meet of the season in the weight throw with a heave of 55-11. Since that mark, Hoffman has set a personal best throw of 60-3, ranking him first in the league.
Sophomore Wallace Campbell should be a threat in both the mile (4:14.16) and the 3000 (8:21.61) as he set IC4A qualifying marks in both events. Campbell holds the third-best time in the 3000 in the 2006 league marks.
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In the 1000, the Orange and Blue have both senior Kevin Brown (Cranford, N.J./Cranford) and junior Mark Caroleo (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon), as each set IC4A qualifying marks (2:28.49, 2:28.29) and should be competitive in the event at the league championships.
In the 400 and 500, freshman Kerry Boyle (Hazleton, Pa./Hazleton) should contend for individual titles, as he not only qualified for the IC4A's in both events, but is currently ranked second in the 400 and third in the 500, in the league.
Senior Dan Frake (Northport, N.Y./Northport) and freshman Ryan Robinson (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) each hold a solid spot in the league rankings, as Frake is ranked fifth in the shot put (50-1 3/4) and Robinson holds the number six spot in the high jump (6-6 1/4).
The Patriot League Championships will start on Friday at noon, beginning with the women's pentathlon, followed by the men's heptathlon. Saturday action will open with the conclusion of the men's heptathlon, beginning at 8:45 a.m., followed by the men's weight throw at 11 a.m. Sunday events will begin in the morning at 10 with the men's pole vault and will conclude at 5:15 p.m. with the awards ceremony.
