Buffalo Bulls Women's Track and Field 2016 Season Preview

In (a very close) advance of their season opening competition later today at Cornell's Southern Tier Invite, preview the UB Women's (indoor and outdoor) Track and Field squad.

The absolute biggest name here is Camaria Long, who holds three individual and five relay school records and is the reigning MAC Champion in the indoor 200 meters. Tyra Forbes joins her as one of UB's fastest ever, who scored a handful of points for the Bulls in MAC Championships last year as a freshman. After those two and Malayah White, it's a lot of freshman. Buffalo will have to weather the apparent loss of hurdler Regine Lazard, as well.

This was perhaps the women's team's strongest unit last year, and though multiple-time MAC champ Meg Manley is gone, two-time UB record holder Melinda Wheeler is still around, Amy Shaw and Corinne Birchard is still around, and UB adds a number of freshman, including Chardae Henry and Rachel Barich from a strong cross country season. Look for Wheeler to go for at least one more school record and for this group to again be one of UB's strongest.

Kelly Truppo was a big, big name last year who's now gone, but didn't put her best performances forward in the MAC Championships. Emma Siuciak and Tyra Forbes will look to move up the UB books, and freshman Selina Von Jackowski, though listed as a hurdler, has some impressive seed distances for today's season opener. This is an area where a little more depth over last year could go a long, long way.

2015 was a young year for the UB throwers, with Joanna Hallisy, McKenzie Kuehlewind, and Miranda Daucher getting a little time across all events. Jess Dhaliwall is also in that group, and UB has some experience with Megan Patterson and Taylor Woods, who could maybe get up to #2 all time at UB in the discus this year, but probably won't catch Becky O'Brien's record.

Emma Siuciak has been UB's (outdoor) heptathlon record holder for years, and is not far at all from the (indoor) pentathlon record, as well. She only has indoor eligibility left, so it will be interesting to see who takes the mantle from her.

***

Women's Track and Field didn't necessarily suffer the magnitude of losses that the Men's side did this offseason, however, the losses of Manley and Truppo are significant in their own right. But, the strength of the Women's team will lie in the track events, especially distance where our favorite freshman Chardae Henry and Rachel Barich who are coming off of strong cross country seasons will join a stable of solid contributing veterans that will look to gel and lead the way for the Women. There's a lot of room for youth to step up and contribute, so, as with the men our eyes will be on the conference and national meets later in the season to see who rises to the occasion.