Bucknell University
IC4A Championships
Bucknell Track & Field Opens Action at IC4A, ECAC Championships
3/5/2011 7:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
March 5, 2011
BOSTON - Bucknell men's track and field went up against its toughest competition yet at the IC4A Championships at Boston University and responded with some of the best times in program history. Five top-10 marks fell on the first day of competition, while the women's squad also kicked off the action at the ECAC Championships.
Robert Arent (New Providence, N.J./New Providence) carried over his success from two weeks ago when he won the Patriot League title in the 400 meters. In Boston, the junior ran 47.83 seconds in the prelims, improving on his own career best that already ranked second in program history. Arent qualified for the finals, set to run at 12:55 p.m. tomorrow. He is the only Bison to advance to the final round at the championship meet.
Arent also ended the day on a high note, anchoring the 4x400 relay to an 11th place finish in the prelims. Along with Jordan Donaldson (Saxton, Pa./Tussey Mountain), John Picardo (Rochester, N.Y./Hilton Central) and Jacob Eaton Hall (Elmira, N.Y./Elmira Free Academy), Arent helped the squad to a time of 3:15.79, which ranks second in program history.
Also earning the second-best time in program annals was Chris Sacks (Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane). After being named the Patriot League Rookie of the Meet at last month's championships, Sacks ran 1:50.41 in the 800 meters on Saturday. The finish did not qualify him for the finals, but it did give the freshman the fastest time at Bucknell since Thomas McLean set the school record (1:50.30) in 1977.
Donaldson placed 13th in the 500 meters with a career-best 1:04.14. Picardo was close behind in 15th with a time of 1:04.20.
In the field events, Leonard Joseph (Whitesboro, N.Y./Clinton) and Tom Barr (Ambler, Pa./La Salle HS) both claimed top-15 finishes in the weight throw. Barr's mark of 55 feet, 3 inches was a career best that ranks ninth all-time among Bison.
Among those still competing on Sunday is Andrew Powell (Charlton, Mass./St. John's) who completed day one of the heptathlon in fifth place with 2,765 points. He will be joined on the schedule by Barr, Quinten Marcott (Wayland, Mich./Wayland) and Zachary Shapiro (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) in the shot put, Drew Fitzgerald (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa) in the high jump and the distance medley relay.
At the ECAC Championships at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center, the women got their schedule underway on Saturday. Among the finishers were the 4x800 relay. Hana Casalnova (Grove City, Pa./Grove City), Emily Waksmunski (Carrolltown, Pa./Bishop Carroll), Erin Holbrook (East Aurora, N.Y./East Aurora) and Jennifer Zymet (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) were third in their heat with a time of 9:08.46.
