The Bison women’s and men’s track and field teams secured a pair of wins at the Gulden Invitational on Jan. 21 to earn points to qualify for the 2017 ICA4-ECAC Outdoor Championships.

With more than 33 competitive events, the Bison had many opportunities to utilize the depth of both teams this weekend. Highlights from the women’s team included Kafilat Oladiran ’18 placing first in 60-meter hurdles and Kaitlin Salisbury ’20 winning the 60-meter dash. Margaret Thomson ’19 also secured the lead in the mile, while Sarah Chandler ’17 came in first for the 800-meter run. Christine Bendzinski ’18 clinched a win during the 3000-meter run.

“It was so exciting to see how amazing our team is. We really blew everyone out of the water,” Rebecca Rooney ’20 said when asked about her experience in one of her first scored meets.

Likewise, the men showcased their talent by winning the title for the fifth consecutive year. Standout performances included Jacob Ashkettle ’17, Sean Conway ’20, and Scott Gulizio ’19 winning the 500-meter run in first, second, and third, respectively. Drew Dorflinger ’20 placed first in the mile while Ross Pirnie ’17 took first in the 1000-meter run. Billy Melchionni ’19 placed top-three in the 200-meter dash, and Luke Giugliano ’17 won the 3000-meter run. Nicholas Lombardo ’18 and Will Carter ’17 placed first and second, respectively, in the long jump.

Overall, the Gulden Invitational proved to be a big success for the Orange and Blue.

“I can see the potential the team has to win the Patriot League Championships,” head coach Kevin Donner said after this weekend’s wins.

Bison track and field will next compete in the Bison Open and Multi at home on Jan. 27 as well as the Penn State National Invitational in University Park on Jan. 28.