Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Track & Field Resumes Season with Gulden Relays Saturday
1/7/2010 7:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
Jan. 7, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. - After a long layoff, Bucknell track and field will get back to business as it hosts the ninth annual Gulden Relays at Gerhard Fieldhouse on Saturday, Jan. 9 with field events starting at 10 a.m. The weekend will be one of memories as the Bison remember former track and cross country coach Art Gulden and welcome the 1999 women's cross country team back to campus.
The Gulden Relays have been hosted annually since 2002 and were named in honor of the Bison's late coach. Gulden, who coached Bucknell to 68 conference titles and led his squads to nine national championships, was recently inducted into the U.S. Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Hall of Fame for his contributions to the sport throughout his career. Gulden's son Artie received the honor at the USTFCCCA's annual convention on his father's behalf.
One of Gulden's prize teams was the 1999 women's cross country team, which finished the season ranked 24th nationally after earning the program's first-ever at-large bid to the NCAA National Championships. The 1999 Bison also claimed their second consecutive Patriot League title and placed third as a team at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Championships. Members of the squad will be back on campus for a reunion, which will include recognition during the men's basketball game vs. Navy on Saturday night.
Other teams expected to compete at the 2010 Gulden Relays include UMBC, Mount St. Mary's, Elizabethtown, McDaniel College, Mansfield, Susquehanna, Loyola and Gwynedd Mercy.
MEN'S NOTEBOOK
- When Bucknell opened its season at the Bison Opener last month, the men's 60-meter runners broke the program mark several times. Marlon Woods (Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods) had the last word, clocking in at 6.85 seconds for the school record and the win at the meet. Isaih Bell (Stone Mountain, Ga./Clarkston) was second overall with a time of 6.87, while Justin Hicks (Wilmington, Del./Tower Hill School) was fourth in a time of 6.91. Both Bell's and Hicks' times also broke the previous school record of 7.01.
- For his performance in the season's opening meet, Woods was named the Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week. He was not the only Bison to earn awards that week, however, as Drew Fitzgerald (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa) was named the Patriot League/M-F Athletic Field Athlete of the Week after winning the long jump and moving into the Bucknell top-10 list in the pole vault. Hicks earned Rookie of the Week honors after his standout performance in the 60 and his third-place finish in the 300 meters, which also put him in the top five all-time at Bucknell.
- Joining Woods and Fitzgerald on the winners' stand were Kyle Anthony (Barryville, N.Y./Eldred Central) (triple jump), Evan Novakowski (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury) (1,000 meters), Clayton Smith (Sparta, N.J./Pope John XXIII) (mile) and Andrew Yehl (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) (60m hurdles).
- At last year's Gulden Relays, Anthony was named the Most Valuable Field Athlete of the Meet. Anthony claimed first in the triple jump with an IC4A qualifying mark, finished third in the long jump and helped the Bison to a win and the sixth fastest time in school history in the sprint medley. Also earning victories at the home meet were the 4x400, distance medley and 4x200 relays. Jonathan Lockhart (Chesapeake, Va./Great Bridge) was also victorious in the weight throw.
WOMEN'S NOTEBOOK
- Chelsey Musante (Shelton, Conn./Shelton) was named the Patriot League/M-F Athletic Field Athlete of the Week following her performance at the Bison Opener in early December. The senior won the weight throw for the second consecutive year and took second in the shot put. Her marks in both events qualified her for the ECAC Championships in March.
- Jennifer Pierce (Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J./Northern Highlands) opened her season with a bang as she won her first career pentathlon. It was the first time in her career the senior had competed in a multi event. Amy Mantush (Drums, Pa./Hazelton) won the high jump, while Rebecca Frey (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) earned the victory in the pole vault at the Bison Opener as well.
- The Bison won five relays and four individual events at the meet last year. The sprint medley relay team recorded the fifth fastest time in school history. Returning from that unit are Kalle James-Wintjen (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area), Lindsay Appel (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) and Stephanie Fulmer (Pottstown, Pa./St. Pius X). Also earning victories were the 4x800, 4x400, 4x200 and the distance medley relays. Sarah Moniz (Topsfield, Mass./Masconomet Regional) (mile), Megan Frate (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) (triple jump), Sarah Bella (Mendham, N.J./West Morris Mendham) (shot put) and Musante (weight throw) completed the list of first-place finishers.
LOOKING AHEAD
Bucknell track and field will be back in action on Friday, Jan. 15 when it travels to Akron, Ohio, for the Akron Quad.
