Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Track & Field Hosts Bison Opener for 2010-11 Debut
12/3/2010 7:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
Dec. 3, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell women's track and field is looking to pick up where it left off when it hosts the Bison Opener on Saturday. The Orange and Blue dominated the Patriot League a season ago, winning both the indoor and outdoor titles, and the team hopes a repeat is in store as it gears up for the 2010-11 season at Gerhard Fieldhouse. Field events for the Bison Opener begin at 9:30 a.m., while running events get underway at 10:15 a.m.
"We are very excited to get the track and field season rolling,” said head coach Kevin Donner, whose women's squad was picked first in the Patriot League Preseason Poll for the seventh consecutive season yesterday. “Our sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers and throwers have been working out for three months and we want to see where they are at and what type of team we will have. I have always felt that this meet can set a positive tone for the rest of the season, although we are holding out most of our distance runners as they recover from the cross country season so we will not be at full strength until January."
The Bison will play host to 11 other women's teams, including Bloomsburg, Georgetown, Howard, Kutztown, Lock Haven, McDaniel, Penn, Shippensburg, Saint Francis (Pa.), Susquehanna and UMBC. Although the Bison Opener is an unscored meet, complete results will be available at BucknellBison.com at the end of competition.
Below is a more in-depth season outlook:
With the program's winning tradition that has been built over the years, Bucknell women's track and field's achievements last year came as no surprise. The Bison completed the Triple Crown yet again with Patriot League titles in both indoor and outdoor track and field. After 20 years in the league, Bucknell's trophy count has reached 11 indoors and 13 outdoors, and the Bison see no reason for that success to come to an end.
“We obviously had a great year last year winning both indoors and outdoors,” said Donner, who was named the Patriot League Coach of the Year for the fourth outdoor season in 2010. “Although we graduated a lot of really great athletes, we still return quite a bit. Winning Patriot League titles is always our goal, and I believe we have a nice nucleus to go after that goal again.”
SPRINTS
The Bison have added to their depth in the sprints this season, providing support for their returning veterans. Senior Kristin Bretscher came on strong at the end of the spring season, earning All-Patriot League honors for the first time in her career after helping the 4x100 to a second-place finish. Also on the relay and returning for another season are sophomore Sasha Hornock and junior Christina Muccio. Muccio and Hornock rank second and third, respectively, all-time at Bucknell in the 60 meters, while Bretscher broke into the top 10 in the outdoor 200 last spring.
Bucknell will count on Jamie Leacock in the 400 and 500 meters during the indoor season in addition to incoming freshman Jennifer Zymet for the long sprints.
HURDLES
Bucknell will rely on proven hurdlers Leacock and Taylor Funk in 2010-11. A former Patriot League champion, Leacock scored in the 60, 100 and 400 hurdles last year. Funk also scored in two of the three races during her sophomore season, and the Bison expect an additional year of experience to work in her favor.
Making her first appearance with Bucknell will be freshman Hannah Jones, a Lewisburg Area High School product and former all-state selection in the 300 hurdles.
MID-DISTANCE
Anchoring the middle distance for the Bison will be Stephanie Fulmer and Caroline Tolli. The duo helped Bucknell to league titles in both the indoor and outdoor 4x800 relays last year and have a combined seven All-Patriot League selections between them.
“Stephanie had a pretty solid year last year but battled some early-season injuries,” said Donner. “This year she's healthy, and she's really much stronger than she's ever been. We expect some big things out of her.”
Joining Fulmer and Tolli is a pair of freshmen whom Donner has high hopes for – Hana Casalnova and Chelsea Lodato. “The two girls have both gone under 2:14, which is as fast as anybody I've ever recruited for 800 meters. Hana went 2:12 at the (Pennsylvania) state meet, and Chelsea Lodato went 2:13 at one point last year.”
DISTANCE
Bucknell will enter the season with great depth in the distance events. Returning is senior captain Sarah Moniz, who recorded one of the best overall seasons in Bucknell history last spring.
“In a month span, she ran very fast times at 3K, at 5K and at 1,500 and was our number two all-time in all of those events behind three different people,” said Donner. “We think she's going to be one of our top kids in the distance area.”
Also back on the track will be senior Alaina Chodoff, juniors Alysha Hooper and Kelly Grosskurth and sophomore Leah Goeke. Chodoff and Hooper made their mark in the 5K and 10K last year, while Grosskurth and Goeke proved to be the Bison's go-to runners in the steeplechase.
“Leah Goeke is a girl that we just started steeplechasing at the end of last year, and she had a lot of success,” praised Donner. “Because we're going to start practicing earlier with the steeplechase for her next year, we think she's going to be pretty good.”
Newcomers Stephanie Bryan and Kady Weisner should also contribute to the distance unit early.
JUMPS
The jumps should continue to be a strong point for the Bison with Casey Krause, who won the Patriot League triple jump crown indoors and outdoors last year. Alexandra Romanelli also scored in the triple jump at both championship meets, while Hornock and Olivia Massey tallied points in the long jump.
“We're pretty deep and strong in both the long jump and triple jump this year,” said Donner.
Emily Moles returns as Bucknell's top high jumper, while Rebecca Frey will continue to make waves in the pole vault. Incoming freshman Emily Ando, a state champion in Connecticut, will also contribute in the pole vault.
MULTI
Bucknell will have to overcome the graduation of Amy Mantush, who won the pentathlon last season and made a name for herself as one of the most versatile athletes in program history. The Bison will look to continue developing sophomore Leah Bettner and incoming freshman Victoria Schmidt to fill the opening in the multi events.
THROWS
Despite the loss of recent graduate Chelsey Musante, Bucknell will not be short of talent in the throws as it returns Patriot League champions Sarah Bella (2009 shot put, discus) and Rebecca Misko (2010 discus). Abigail Monaghan is also back for her sophomore campaign after taking third in the discus at the Patriot League Championships.
The javelin will also be a high point with Laura Rycek and Kat Folger, who took second and third, respectively, at last year's championship meet. Tayler Siegrist finished just outside of scoring position but is back at full strength after working through some late-season injuries.
