The Orange and Blue had a successful showing at the Bucknell Team Challenge on Saturday. The event was held at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. Women’s Track and Field finished an impressive first place at the Team Challenge. The women scored 200.5 points and placed at the top of 10 total teams.

The Orange and Blue scored in every event and earned seven event victories. There were multiple athletes to improve on the all-time top 10 performance list or even placed on it. Michaela Bracken ’22 was named the Bison Athlete of the Week after her great showing. She finished high in both the 400 hurdles and high jump. The Team Challenge was the last home event of the season. Bracken moved up on the all-time list with a time of 1:00.98 in the 400 hurdles and a 5-7 jump in the high jump. 

Karen Hull ’24 finished first in the 100 hurdles with a time of 14.80 and earned the Bison 10 points. Jessie Castellano ’23 also placed first and entered the all-time top 10 list with a time of 56.45 in the 400. The Bison dominated the 800 with Karly Forker ’22 taking first at 2:10.34. Mackenzie Turner ’23 placed second (2:12.34), and Anna Posh ’25 placed fourth (2:14.84). 

Mia Belluci ’23 won the 3000 with an impressive 9:59.01 and Siobhan O’Sullivan ’24 finished first in the shot put with a 45-8. The 4×100 team of Bridget Lalonde ’23, Meghan Quinn ’22, Gianna Macones ’22 and Hull had a time of 46.94.                                         

The men also finished second out of 10 teams and added four event wins. They scored a total of 99 points, just behind first-place Mount St Mary’s at 106. Four different Bison scored in the 3000 steeplechase. Noah Martin ’23 took first place with a time of 9:12.97 and right behind were Jeffrey Gibbs ’24 (9:30.76), Asa Friedrich ’24 (9:39.11), and Grayson Crockett ’25 (9:41.22) who finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively. They earned a total of 17 points. 

The Orange and Blue also took top finishes in the hammer throw with Jack Calisi ’23 winning with a personal best of 182-10, and Robert Feeney ’24 in second with a 176-3. Two third-place finishes also put the bison ahead with Anthony Zamarra ’23 putting up a big 54-8.25 in the shot put. Matthew Perello ’25 placed third in the 200 with a 22.23 and Samuel Whittaker ’23 placed third in the 3000 at 8:30.07. 

“I am really proud of how the team performed this weekend. Both the men and women did really well in their events and contributed to a great weekend at the Team Challenge. It was an enjoyable last home event and I am glad to have competed hard with my team,” Macones said.

Up next for the Bison is the Penn Relays and Maroon and Gold Invite happening on April 28 and 29. These will serve as the final tune-up for the Bison in preparation for the Patriot League Championships.