LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell opens up the 2015-16 indoor track and field season when it hosts the Bison Opener on Friday and Saturday at Gerhard Fieldhouse. It will be the 13th consecutive season that the Bison open the season with the event.
The nine-team event begins Friday evening with the multi-event athletes. The women's pentathlon gets underway with the 60-meter hurdles at 5:15 p.m. Competition resumes on Saturday with the multi-events at 8 a.m., field events at 9:30 a.m. and the running events at 11 a.m.
The defending Patriot League champs posted eight individual winners, along with a first-place finish in the 4x400 relay. Senior Devon McDonald won the pentathlon on the opening day of the meet. Other individual winners included Jenna Calandro Lauren Hudson, Deanna Godby, Kafilat Oladiran and Seline Tan-Torres.
Following this weekend's event, the Bison will have a month off before competing at the Penn State Relays on Jan. 9.
Below is a more in-depth season preview.
The Bucknell women's track and field team added a pair of titles to its already impressive total with a sweep of the Patriot League Indoor and Outdoor Championships last season. That brings the total to 30 (16 Indoor, 14 Outdoor) in program history, including 22 (11 Indoor, 11 Outdoor) under the direction of current head coach Kevin Donner. With a strong group of returning student-athletes from last year's championship teams, the Bison hope to add to that total this season.
“I believe after coming off one of our greatest years in school history, we are ready to step it up even another notch,” Donner said. “We have a great core of returning athletes, as well as a few freshmen who are capable of contributing right away.”
SPRINTS/HURDLES
Donner expects the Bison to utilize their quality depth in the sprints, and says he considers it one of the team's strengths, especially the longer sprints such as the 200m, 400m and 500m races.
Jen Silvestri is one of the team's key returners thanks to her ability to score points a wide-range of events. She owns five individual top-10 marks in Bucknell's record book in both sprints and hurdles.
Jess Bridle,
Allison Sharkey,
Kafilat Oladiran,
Laura Papili and
Elyse Pettaway have all helped the Bison excel in relay events over the past couple of seasons, including Patriot League titles and All-East honors in numerous events. Carlie Lucke had a solid indoor season for the Bison last year and scored points in the 60-meter dash at the conference meet.
Kafilat Oladiran joins Silvestri as the team's top two hurdlers. The two have proven their ability to compete with some of the best in the league, but Donner said the hurdle events are currently the strength of the conference.
MID-DISTANCE
Donner says the depth of the middle-distance runners is critical for any team looking to win a league title, and he believes the Bison have that this season.
Christine Bendzinski dominated the Indoor Championships last season and was named the Rookie of the Meet after winning two individual races and one relay. She then added two All-Patriot League awards at the Outdoor Championships.
Emma Cousins,
Sarah Chandler,
Emma Harris and
Reagan Cerney all won league titles in relays last season, while
Andrea Bourgal bring additional postseason experience. Newcomers
Colleen Buckley and
Jenna Farmer both ran under five minutes in the 1,600m during high school.
DISTANCE
The Bison distance runners were a key part of both league titles last season. Junior
Kate Scott scored points in two events during the Indoor Championships and then won the 10k with a meet-record time at the Outdoor Championships.
Deanna Godby and
Elizabeth Sheprow also contributed in multiple races. Freshman
Christine O'Kane went under 11 minutes in the 3,200 during high school.
Nora Adams has high hopes for the track and field season after earning her first All-League honors in cross country.
JUMPS
Donner says the jumpers may have been the team's most improved area last season, and the team returns multiple newcomers he expects to contribute. The Bison return four jumpers that have scored points in championship meets.
Kimberley Lapszynski has scored in the long jump and triple jump,
Devon McDonald in the long jump and high jump,
Carly Reiner in the triple jump, and Laura Hudson in the high jump. Freshman
Alexis Auman went over 38 feet in the triple jump in high school, while
Janiel Slowly went over 18 feet in the long jump.
POLE VAULT
Jenna Calandro returns as the team's top pole vaulter. She owns the program's sixth-best indoor mark at 11-9 3/4.
THROWS
The Bison return seven throwers that contributed to the team's title runs a season ago, led by
Sophia Nnadi. The senior was voted the Patriot League Women's Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year at the conclusion of last season, which came shortly after her being named the Field Athlete of the Meet at the Outdoor Championships. She has won three league titles in the shot put during her career. The Bison swept the shot put titles last season, as
Abigail Brundage took first at the event in the Indoor Championships.
Stephanie Easse was a Second Team All-Patriot League selection in the discus, while
Tara Lee scored points in both the weight throw and the hammer throw.
The javelin was a particularly good event for Bucknell last year, and that should continue this season.
Meg Sangimino,
Dayna Simone and
Rebecca Skovira all scored points at the Outdoor Championships last season, and all three rank among the top 10 javelin throwers in program history.
MULTIS
Alison Varano is the team's top returning multi-athlete. She scored points in the pentathlon at the Indoor Championships and the heptathlon at the Outdoor Championships.
