Four track and field school records were broken on the first day of competition at Boston University. One men's record and three women's records now have new ownership.
Competing in the only men's event of the afternoon, Fredonia fielded a team of runners in the distance medley relay that would take down the first school record. The team of Zakk Hess (Newark, N.Y./North Rose - Wolcott), Jonmichael Knapp (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Arcadia), Nick Watson (Rochester, N.Y./Rush Henrietta), and Collin Mulcahy (Batavia, N.Y./Batavia) finished the event in 10:11.43, eclipsing the previous mark of 10:13.74 that had stood since 1979.
The remainder of the day was highlighted by three women's events that would also break Fredonia school records, starting with the 800-meter run. Junior sprinter Laura Morrison (Wethersfield, Conn./Wethersfield High School) crossed the finish line in 2:15.43, besting the record set by Kim Foltz in 2014 (2:18.18).
Freshman sprinter Brittany Feldman (Jamestown, N.Y./Southwestern) would then set a school record of her own in the 400-meter dash by finishing the race in 58.56, almost a full second faster than the record set by current Blue Devil sprinter Anna Dambacher (Divernon, Ill./Auburn) in 2014 (59.54).
To cap-off an already impressive day, the women's runners would then top one more school record. The team of Dambacher, Feldman, Morrison, and Bonnie Binggeli (Walworth, N.Y./Gananda) finished the 4x400-meter relay in 4:04.87, topping the mark of 4:05.52 set in 2011.
Late in the evening, junior runner Lauren Kotas (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) set a personal-best mark in the 3000-meter run of 10:20.46. She now holds the second-fastest time in the event in Fredonia school history.
The men's track and field team took center-stage on Saturday as competition continues at the Valentine Invitational.
