McMenamin Earns Patriot League Gold in Steeplechase, Bucknell Men Finish Third Overall

Saturday, May 1

West Point, N.Y.

All Day

Bucknell University

Patriot League Championships

Photo by: Virginia Athletics

McMenamin Earns Patriot League Gold in Steeplechase, Bucknell Men Finish Third Overall

5/1/2021 7:21:00 PM | Men's Track and Field

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Connor McMenamin secured his first Patriot League gold in the 3000m steeplechase with a new personal best time (8:55.40) as the Bucknell men finished third overall for the second straight Patriot League Outdoor Championship. The time for McMenamin is the fourth-fastest time by a champion in Patriot League history, only behind 2019 champion Kevin Murray (8:55.32), Alex L'Heureux (8:54.72, 2002), and meet record holder Greg Keller of Navy (8:51.13, 1993).

Results

Navy won the meet with 298 points, edging out Army (294) in the 4x400, the last event of the day, for its seventh straight title. Bucknell (70.5) was third, followed by Lehigh (59), Holy Cross (53), Boston University (49), American (11), Lafayette (10.5), and Colgate (6).

"I was very proud of how our men bounced back after a very poor first day," said Head Coach Kevin Donner. It just seems like we were hungrier and more determined. To finish third was a moral victory considering we graduated so many good guys from the class of 2020. The future looks bright. With that said, I commend both Navy and Army, who have fantastic programs and tremendous balance in all the event areas."

McMenamin, a senior from Souderton, Pennsylvania, claimed his first-ever gold medal after finishing runner-up in both 2018 and 2019. In this year's edition, McMenamin left no doubt, winning the event by over three seconds over runner-up Julian Perez of Navy (8:58.83). The time for McMenamin also moves him up a spot on Bucknell's all-time list to number four, passing Bucknell Hall-of-Famer Mike Deckert (8:56.24) for fourth on Bucknell's all-time list. McMenamin improved by over nine seconds from his time at the 2019 Outdoor Championships at Holy Cross (9:04.51). In addition to the steeplechase, McMenamin also finished 16th in the 3000 (14:56.24).

McMenamin was Bucknell's lone victor through the meet, but the Bison had several strong performances on day two, including a runner-up finish from Alex Dessoye, who set a new personal best in earning silver in the 400 (47.60). Dessoye used an incredible kick in the last straightaway to move up to the runner-up spot, and his time moves the Egg Harbor Township, N.J. native all the way up to fifth on Bucknell's all-time list. The time for A. Dessoye also is over a full second faster than his previous personal best of 48.62. Thomas McLean continues to hold the school record in the event (46.84), which has stood since 1976.

A. Dessoye also ran the second leg on Bucknell's 4x400 team along with Ethan Wolford-Tuffy, Robert Dessoye, and Brendan Bodisch as the Bison finished third (3:16.00). Additionally, A. Dessoye ran the anchor leg on Bucknell's third-place 4x100 team of Kevin Boyle, Matthew Perello (41.59), just off the mark for a Bucknell top ten spots.

Sophomore Anthony Zamarra continues to impress in his first outdoor season in the shot put, finishing fourth (51-5.75). The native of Manalapan, N.J. ranks seventh on Bucknell's all-time list (52-10.5) in the event.

In the 400 hurdles, Brendan Bodisch finished fourth (53.74) in a tough field that included Clayton Thompson of Navy, who set the meet record (51.79).
The mark for Bodisch is a personal best, and strengthens his position at the ninth spot on Bucknell's all-time list in the event. Teammate Brian Kennedy (56.36) finished in seventh.

Ian Lawrence also had a good day in the triple jump, finishing fourth (45-1.5), a personal best. Lawrence scored for the first time in two Patriot League Championship appearances, narrowly missing out in the high jump in 2019 after finishing ninth. Tommy Cahill (8th, 43-10.75) also scored in the event in his Patriot League Championship debut. Lawrence also added a point in the high jump.

Noah Martin (6th, 9:20.64), had a solid day, setting a new personal best by just under ten seconds in the steeplechase in scoring in his first Patriot League Championship appearance on the track.

Perello added a point for the Bison in the 200 (22.22). The time for the first year ties his personal best, and the native of Princeton, N.J. has now set personal records in back-to-back appearances after clocking an 11.04 in the 100 at the Bucknell Quad on April 11.

Aiden Brewer and Miguel Negrete each picked up points in the decathlon in finishing sixth and seventh, respectively. Brewer set a new personal best in the process (5565), while Negrete (5430) made his collegiate debut in the decathlon.

Owen Chase also scored for the Bison in the 1500 (8th, 3:56.79), while Jaxon White (142-4) placed ninth in the discus. First year Griffin Schlegel scored in the 800 (1:55.43) with a seventh-place finish. Senior Evan Minor (14th, 14:48.23), making his Patriot League Championship debut in the 5000, ran a personal best time.

The Bison now look ahead to March 15 when the team travels to the IC4A Championships.