Heading into April 18’s Bucknell Team Challenge, the women’s track and field team had one goal in mind: to reclaim its crown. The Bison repeated wins in 2011 and 2012, but have not won since then, finishing as the runner-up the past two seasons. This year the Bison recovered their dominance, finishing first in the eight-team field that was headlined by last year’s winner, Penn State, and also included Binghamton, Duquesne, Lock Haven, Mount St. Mary’s, Saint Francis, and Towson.

The Bison honored multiple individuals for Senior Day, as well as the 1989-90 men’s cross country and track and field teams, the 1989 women’s cross country team, the 2010 women’s cross country and track and field teams, and the 2010 men’s track and field team.

The Bison won nine events en route to their first-place finish at the Team Challenge. They were dominant, finishing with 195 total points, nearly 100 points higher than the second place finishers. Towson and Binghamton tied for second with 98 points each, and Duquesne finished fourth with 95 points.

Sophia Nnadi ’16 led the Bison as she placed in the top three in three different events. Out of 24 throwers in the discus, Nnadi took home first place with a distance of 141-4. She then posted a runner-up finish in the shot put with a throw of 44-11 ½ behind teammate and winner of the event, Abigail Brundage ’16, who won the event with her heave of 45-2 ½. Nnadi also took third in the hammer throw.

The Bison dominance in the throwing events was on display all day as Meg Sangimino ’17 finished first in the javelin with a throw of 137-5, which qualified her for the ECAC Championships. Dayna Simone ’16 joined her teammate, with a throw of 136-6 that also qualified her for the ECAC Championships and put her in second place.  

Kim Nagotko ’15 paved the way for the sprinters with her first-place finish in the 200m and runner-up finish in 100m. Nagotko posted a time of 24.68 in the 200m and 12.21 in the 100m.

Other notable performances by the Bison included a first-place finish by Reagan Cerney ’17 in the 800m, a first-place finish in the 1,500m by Sarah Chandler ’17, a first-place finish in the 3,000m steeplechase by Elizabeth Sheprow ’17, and second place finishes by Jen Silvestri ’16 (400m hurdles), Kafilat Oladiran ’18 (100m hurdles), Montana DiPietrantonio ’15 (3,000m), and third-place finishes by Allison Sharkey ’17 (400m), Lauren Hudson ’18 (high jump), Rebekka Vuojolainen ’15 (pole vault), and Katie Jessee ’15 (1,500m). The Bison also posted wins in the 4×400 and 4×800 relays.

“We are on a roll as a team at the right time of the year,” Nnadi said. “With the consistency in our performances over the past few weeks we are truly lining ourselves up for a shot and run at the Patriot League Championship, and that is exciting. It is always great to perform well at this time of the year. The PLC is in reach, we just need to remain focused and everyone has to do their part.”

The Bison return to the track this weekend as some athletes head to Penn Relays held on April 23-25, and others to the Bloomsburg Invitational on April 25.