UB at the Penn Relays: Day 1 Recap

Today's the big show for UB at the Penn Relays, when Bulls compete in 11 events. Saturday brings a light three that, honestly, I'm not entirely sure will merit a post of their own. But first we'll talk about yesterday, when a handful of UB competitors combined to earn two MAC Qualifiers and very nearly hit a new school record.

And when I say "nearly hit," I mean "less than half a second over a two-and-a-half-mile race." The Women's Distance Medley Relay team of Meghan Manley, Camaria Long (!), Corinne Birchard, and Melinda Wheeler ran 11:50.20, just short of the 11:49.88 school record. They finished seventh in the event.

The MAC auto-qualifiers came from Kelly Truppo in the Pole Vault, who cleared 3.80 meters to finish fifth in the event, and Regine Lazard, who hasn't gotten very much buzz for her proficiency in the 400m hurdles and finished 11th out of a whopping 57 runners in that event thanks to a season-best 1:01.48.

Nearly all other events saw UB improve on their seeding: the throwers McKenzie Kuehlewind, Joanna Hallisy, Miranda Daucher, and Taylor Woods all had strong days relative to the field. Kuehlewind and Hallisy finished 21st and 35th in the shot put, while Daucher and Woods finished 13th and 18th in the discus. None of the throwers were particularly close to their season-best marks on a windy day.

The only other two events for UB on the day were the women's 4x100 relay, where the Bulls ran 47.55, and John McCarthy's 9:50.67 in the 3000m steeplechase, where both finished in the middle of the pack.

Today's action at the Penn Relays is already underway, but will see UB compete in a pair of Men's Relays: the 4x100 and Distance Medley, a pair of women's relays in the 4x200 and 4x1500, and a slew of field events. Bulls are entered in two different men's shot put and two different long jump fields, and the men's triple jump. Ryan Billian will also go in the 100m dash.

Go Bulls