Bucknell University led the way at the Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Championships Feb. 19, as the Bison hoisted trophies in both the men’s and women’s competitions.
It was the second straight sweep for the Bison, who won both outdoor championships in 2011.
The AU men’s team finished seventh of eight teams, while the women’s team came in eighth at the championships, held in Lewisburg, Pa.
Olsen, Allen top runners on men’s side
The Eagles registered a strong team outing in the 3,000 meter run with two top-10 finishes. Josh Olsen led the way with a sixth-place finish in 8:29.45, while Mark Allen finished shortly after in ninth place (8:32.26).
In the same race, Mark Leininger (8:23.76) and Tom Woermer (8.34.70) set new personal bests when they finished 11th and 14th, respectively.
To go along with his sixth-place finish in the 3,000 meter race, Olsen also took home second place in the 5,000 meter run (14:25.72), with Allen finishing sixth (14:34.16). Leininger finished 10th with a time of 15:02.32.
As a team, the men recorded 10 points and finished in 7th place. Bucknell (185 points) ended up edging out the Navy Midshipmen, who fell just short with 176.25 points.
For the indoor season, the AU men finished sixth of six at the Navy Invitational, ninth of 17 at the Maryland Invitational and seventh at the PL Championships.
Sullivan places 10th in mile
Julia Sullivan headlined the women’s side with her 10th-place finish in the mile. The sophomore’s time of 5:05.87 was good for eighth all-time in program history.
Carly Birkhold crossed the finish line in 10:26.63 in the 3,000 meter run for 17th place.
Bucknell easily emerged victorious, finishing the event with 164 points. The Eagles failed to record a point at the championships.
Over the course of the indoor season, AU finished sixth of six at the Navy Invitational, ninth of 18 at the Maryland Invitational and last at the PL Championships.
The Eagles will have nearly a month off before they open the outdoor portion of their schedule when they head to Coastal Carolina University to participate in the Shamrock Invitational March 16-17.
esaltzman@theeagleonline.com
