Women's Track and Field Set for First Meet of 2020 at Angry Birds Challenge

Saturday, January 11

Bethlehem, Pa.

Bucknell University

Angry Birds Invite

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Women's Track and Field Set for First Meet of 2020 at Angry Birds Challenge

1/7/2020 10:18:00 AM | Women's Track and Field

LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell University women's track and field team returns to action for the first time in 2020 at the Angry Birds Challenge hosted by Lehigh on Saturday at Rauch Fieldhouse.

Setting the Scene
What: Angry Birds Challenge
When: Saturday, Jan. 11 – All Day
Where: Rauch Fieldhouse, Bethlehem, Pa.
Live Results: Mitchelltiming.com
Meet Info
Participating Teams: Bucknell, Sacred Heart, Fairleigh Dickinson, St. Joseph, Temple, American, Loyola

"We are looking forward to getting 2020 started on a positive note," said Head Coach Kevin Donner. "Lehigh is hosting the Indoor Patriot League Championships, and this will give our athletes a chance to familiarize themselves with the facility. It's very early, and coming off the holiday break and month-long layoff, we are still in a rust busting cycle. We've had a long week of camp, and we do not want to push our athletes too hard at this meet. The majority of our athletes will just compete in one or two events, and we are holding a few out just to preserve them for a long year."

About the Bison

Bucknell started the season strong, earning four victories overall, three individual and one in the 4x400 relay, at the Bison Opener on Dec. 7 in a field that featured Penn State as well as 2019 CAA runner-up Towson.
Tara Lyons placed first in the 800 (2:15.73), followed by Karly Forker (2:15.80) as both earned ECAC qualification.
Blair continued her momentum after finishing as a First Team All-Patriot League Cross Country Pick by earning a commanding win in the 3000 (10:04.37), an event that she won at the Patriot League Indoor Championships last season.
Kubinski earned her first career win as a Bison in the mile (5:23.23). The sophomore from Sewickley, Pa. just edged Alison Betler from Towson to earn the victory and run a new personal-best time.
Mackenzie Turner, Valerie Fischer, Becca Rooney and Jessie Castellano helped Bucknell edge Towson in the 4x400 for first place overall (3:58.67).
The unit, which featured three freshmen and senior Rooney, also saw three strong individual performances from the newcomers. Turner was second in the 400 (58.66), Castellano earned a top-ten time in program history in the 300 (42.15), and Fischer was the runner-up in the 500 (1:18.70).
Kaitlin Salisbury qualified for ECAC's in the 60 (7.63) at the meet, the same time that the senior from Hawthorne, N.J. ran in the Bison Opener in 2018 en route to going on to win the Patriot League Gold Medal in that event.
Saturday's field will consist of four Patriot League schools, with American, Loyola, and Lehigh also making up the field.
Tia Tardy earned the top individual finish for Bucknell last season after the New Year, placing third in the 800 in a tough field at the Nittany Lion Challenge in Bucknell's first action of 2019.