Women's Track and Field Resumes Competition at Nittany Lion Challenge

Saturday, January 12

University Park, PA

10 a.m.

Bucknell University

Nittany Lion Challenge

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Women's Track and Field Resumes Competition at Nittany Lion Challenge

1/10/2019 9:45:00 AM | Women's Track and Field

LEWISBURG, Pa.- The Bucknell women's track and field team will look to continue its strong start to the season when it heads to University Park, Pa. for the Nittany Lion Challenge on Saturday. The meet will be the first action for the Bison since hosting the Bison Opener on Nov. 30-Dec. 1.

The meet will mark a return to Penn State for Bucknell Assistant Coach Shakeema Welsch, who was inducted to the Penn State Hall of Fame in 2001 after a career in which she was honored as an All-American seven times in the triple jump and the long jump.

Setting the Scene
What: Nittany Lion Challenge
Where: Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track, University Park, Pa.
When: Saturday, Jan. 12, 2018, first event begins at 11 a.m.

Meet Information
Meet Schedule
Live Results Link

About the Bison/Last Time Out

The Bison began their season at Gerhard Fieldhouse on Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at the annual Bison Opener, a non-scored meet.
Bucknell was led by junior Kaitlin Salisbury, who set a school record in the long jump as the Bison won seven events overall.
Salisbury's long jump of 19-3 ½, good for ECAC qualification, broke a 20-year old school record (19-1 ½) set by Jen Rice back in 1998.
Salisbury also finished first in the preliminaries of the 60-meter dash at the meet, qualifying for the ECAC's in that event as well with a 7.63. The time of 7.63 was just .01 seconds shy of her school-record 7.62 that she set in 2017.
Salisbury's efforts earned her Patriot League Field Athlete of the Week Honors on Dec. 3. as announced by the league office.
Several other Bison posted victories during the meet, including Alexandra Butz, who tied her personal-best in the high jump by clearing 5-5, good for seventh on Bucknell's all-time list.
Natalie Waterhouse claimed the 500-meter dash at the meet with a time of 1:18.97 while adding a first place finish in the 4x400 relay with teammates Michaela Bracken, Gianna Mincone, and Becca Rooney.
Rooney also added an individual win in the 400-meter dash with a time of 59.62, while Lauren Hazzard won the mile with a time of 5:09.96.
Colleen Buckley finished first in the 3,000-meter run; crossing the line at 9:51.45.
Freshman Karly Forker won the 800-meter run in her collegiate debut with a time of 2:18.73. Mincone finished second in the event. Forker also earned Patriot League Track Rookie of the Week honors for the week of Dec. 2 for her efforts.
Overall, the Bison qualified three individuals for ECAC's at the meet. Salisbury, Buckley, and Delia Sipe (shot put) each booked their ticket to the meet in March in their respective events.
Sipe's throw of 45-4 ¼ placed her second in the event on the day, and was more than a foot better than her previous personal best. Sipe's throw was also the eighth best in program history.

Last Time at the Nittany Lion Challenge

Tia Tardy picked up the lone victory for the Bison in last season's meet, finishing ahead of the field in the 800-meter run in a time of 2:14.73. Teammate Jenna Farmer finished fourth in the event with a 2:15.48.
Mincone clocked a then personal-best time of 2:57.09 in the 1,000 meters to finish 14th, while Sipe (shot put, eighth), Salisbury (sixth, long jump), and Molly Montalvo (eighth, weight throw) picked up top eight finishes at the meet.

A Look Ahead
The Bison will return to Gerhard Fieldhouse on Saturday, Jan. 19 for the Gulden Invitational.