BUFFALO – St. Bonaventure freshmen Zach Buckner and Clay Peets set school records Friday afternoon to highlight the action for the Bonnies track team at the U.B. Spring Opener.

Buckner ran a time of 1:59.61 in the 800 meters to write his name into the Bonnies record books yet again as the first athlete in program history to break the 2-minute mark in the event. His time also qualifies him for Atlantic 10 Championships.

With Friday's effort, Buckner's incredible freshman season continues. The Fairview, Pa. native now owns four Bonnies track records – two outdoor (800, 5000) and two indoor (800, 5000) and also stands third in the indoor 3000. He's also part of a fifth record – running as part of the 4000-meter distance medley relay record-setting team at Atlantic 10 Indoor Championships in February.

Friday, he finished fifth overall out of 25 competitors. The winning time of 1:55.84 came from Josh Walters of Fredonia.

Peets set his record time in the 3000 meters. The Akron, Ohio native crossed the finish line in 9:10.55 to best the previous best SBU mark by nearly four seconds. A multi-time Atlantic 10 Cross Country Rookie of the Week, Peets now has his first Bonnies school record after posting top-four cross country marks in both the 5K and 8K this past fall.

Also in the 3000, fellow freshman Colin McCarthy moves to third in the program record books at 9:26.73 while classmate Jared Deno now stands eighth at 9:56.0.

In the 1500, Wyatt Hulsey jumps to seventh in the individual record books at 4:12.39. Zane Courtwright showed the way for the Bonnies in the event at 4:11.91, good for eighth overall in the field and just ahead of Hulsey.

Freshman Thomas Dachik ran the top time of the day in the 3000-meter steeplechase with an effort of 10:23.86.

The Bonnies are back in action Thursday, April 21 at Slippery Rock.

BONNIES RESULTS

3000-METER STEEPLECHASE
1. Thomas Dachik – 10:23.86
3. Henry Trost – 11:05.15 (PR)

1500 METERS
8. Zane Courtwright – 4:11.91
9. Wyatt Hulsey – 4:13.39 (PR)
15. Darion Gregory – 4:17.69
19. Logan Caruso – 4:24.97
21. Kieran Ryan – 4:25.66
22. Colin McCarthy – 4:26.14 (PR)
26. Drew Carlson – 4:33.47

800 METERS
5. Zach Buckner – 1:59.61 ** - School Record
8. Zane Courtwright – 2:02.99
13. Darion Gregory – 2:05.62
14. Elias Kott – 2:05.80
15. Conor Quinn – 2:06.32 (PR)
16. Kieran Ryan – 2:06.71
18. James Fitzmaurice – 2:07.05 (PR)
19. Wyatt Hulsey – 2:07.15
25. Owen Noecker – 2:19.46 (PR)

3000 METERS
15. Clay Peets – 9:10.55 ** - School Record
20. Colin McCarthy – 9:26.73
31. Jared Deno – 9:56.00 (PR)
38. Ryan Murphy – 10:35.80 (PR)

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