Buffalo Bulls Track and Field begins 2016 at Cornell Southern Tier Invite

It will take about a month's worth of competition to really get a feel for UB Track and Field this season, so I really hesitate to draw too many conclusions from yesterday's season-opening showing at Cornell's (unscored :-( ) Southern Tier Invite, but it's good to see sprinting depth and a number of solid performances from new names.

Men

Sprints

I was pleasantly surprised with the sprint depth today, as UB put a pair of runners into the finals of both the 60 and the 60 hurdles. Add in two more in the 200 andin Tyler Scheving the 400 winner, and it was a good day. Beyond Scheving, Anthony Clark, Brian Cummiskey, and Darien Johnson finished second in the 60H, 60, and 200, respectively, and UB added a third, seventh, and eighth place finish across the three races, too.

Our first look at a relay quartet saw Mitch Moore, Treyvon Mask, Johnson, and Scheving take 3rd in the 4x400.

Distance

With Scheving moved up to the long sprint, we got to see more variety in the longer races. Craig Kaiser took the 800 by a half-second, and three Bulls followed him in the top eight. The mile saw Brian Crimmins finish second, and two more Bulls in the top eight. UB didn't compete in the 1000 or 3000.

Throws

Right where they left off: Ryan Cribbin and Devon Patterson went 1-2 in the shot, with Ryan Billian, perhaps exploring his heptathlon chances, coming in eighth. The first two qualified for the MAC Championships with their throws, and Cribbin was a double winner, easily taking the weight throw, as well.

Jumps

Austin Ashby started the year strong, taking second in the long jump at 7.30 meters. His indoor best last year was just 7.10m, and he's now already qualified for the MAC Championships. Billian and freshman Alex Siracusa were also top-six. Laurent Dure cleared 1.94 meters for third in the high jump, but Kaishaun Cathey was the surprise of the day, taking the triple jump crown with a MAC Champs-qualifying distance of 14.67 meters. Jumps looks like it could be a real strength for UB.

Women

Sprints

Nine finalists combined in the 60, 60 hurdles, and 200 announced loudly that the women have sprint depth, too. Malayah White was top-eight in both the 60 and the 200, hitting the MAC mark in the former. UB ran their longer sprinters in the 500 instead of the 400, but Kyla Kenyon came away with a win all the same and three more Bulls were top-five.

Distance

Coach Mitchell entered no one in the 800, and Chardae Henry was fourth in the 1000. Amy Shaw took third in the mile, and UB didn't enter the 3000 or 4x800 relay.

Throws

Joanna Hallisy and Emma Siuciak - definitely getting some pentathlon work in - went 4-5 in the shot put, while Miranda Daucher took third in the weight throw.

Jumps

Siuciak and Tyra Forbes went 2-4 in the long jump, but UB didn't have an entry or register a mark in any other event.

***

None of the women hit a MAC qualifying mark. UB is next in action on the 16th at the Great Dane Invite in New York City.