Bucknell University Athletics
Bison Track & Field Begins Spring Title Defense at Towson, Susuquehanna Invites
3/30/2012 8:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
March 30, 2012
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell track and field ended its indoor season on a high note, and the Bison are hoping to keep that winning feeling through the spring, beginning with the Towson and Susquehanna Jim Taylor invitationals this weekend. Both the men's and women's squads were picked first in the 2012 Patriot League Preseason Poll earlier this month, and both are seeking to claim the conference outdoor title for a third consecutive year. Their defense begins on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Susquehanna and 10:30 a.m. at Towson.
"After a brief layoff and Spring Break, we are very excited to get the outdoor season going," said head coach Kevin Donner. "Outdoor track and field has always been our focus and it is no different this year. The training load has been very high and we will be using this weekend as a rust-buster and not worry too much about times and distances. It will set up our team for next weekend's Colonial Relays at William & Mary and then to be in mid-season form by our home meet schedule in April."
The layoff came after Bucknell swept the Patriot League Indoor Track & Field Championships. It was the first title for the men since 1993 and the 14th overall for the women. The Bison then went to the IC4A/ECAC Championships were six men earned All-East honors, including weight throw champion Tom Barr (Ambler, Pa./La Salle College HS), and three school records fell. While Barr became Bucknell's first IC4A champion in a field event, Robert Arent (New Providence, N.J./New Providence) (400m), Christian Lupica (Newtown, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep) (200m) and Hana Casalnova (Grove City, Pa./Grove City) (1,000m) recorded the best times in program history in their respective events.
It has now been more than a year since a school other than Bucknell won a Patriot League track trophy. The Bison also swept the competition at the 2011 outdoor championships. They were led by Arent on the men's side, who was named the Outstanding Track Athlete of the Meet for a second consecutive year after winning the 400 meters and 400-meter hurdles. Among the other winners at the outdoor meet a year ago were Jordan Donaldson (Saxton, Pa./Tussey Mountain) in the 800, Justin Hicks (Wilmington, Del./Tower Hill School) in the 100, the 4x400 relay, Leonard Joseph (Whitesboro, N.Y./Clinton) in the hammer throw, Luke Webster (Pataskala, Ohio/Newark Catholic) in the discus and Ted Heitzman (Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia) in the javelin. All but one winner - recent graduate John Picardo, who ran lead off on the winning 4x400 relay - return in 2012.
Heitzman recorded one of the most successful postseasons in program history. After winning the Patriot League gold in the javelin and setting a conference record in the process, the current senior finished sixth at the NCAA Championships to earn All-America honors. He is just the sixth Bison all-time, and the second in a field event, to be named an All-American.
On the women's side, Patriot League winners included the 4x100 relay, Leah Goeke (Garnet Valley, Pa./Garnet Valley) in the steeplechase, Jamie Leacock in the 400 hurdles, Laura Rycek in the javelin and Jennifer Zymet (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) in the 400. All four members of the 4x100, which also set a school record at the championship meet, return this spring. Only Leacock and Rycek have graduated from the squad.
Rycek was one of four Bison to qualify for the NCAA Championships East Preliminaries in 2011 along with Heitzman, Joseph, Tayler Siegrist (Madison, N.J./Madison) and Kat Folger (Groton, Mass./Bishop Guertin). Heitzman (javelin), Joseph (hammer) and Rycek (javelin) were also winners at the unscored Towson Invitational when they kicked off the spring campaign last year. Rycek led the Bison sweep in the women's javelin as Folger also placed second, Siegrist was third and Sarah Trahan (Sandown, N.H./Timberlane Regional) was fourth.
While Rycek was only one of five victors on the women's side, the men ultimately claimed eight gold medals at Towson in 2011. Although he did not find himself on top of the podium at any point, Barr established himself as a force to contend with in more than one event. The current senior and two-time Patriot League indoor shot put champion, placed second in the shot put, hammer throw and discus at Towson.
After this opening weekend, Bucknell will travel to Williamsburg, Va., for the William & Mary Colonial Relays April 6-7. The Bison will then be at home for their next two meets. The Bison Outdoor Classic is slated for April 13-15 with the decathlon beginning on that Friday. The Bucknell Team Challenge is set for April 20.
