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2023 PSAC Outdoor Graphic Good

PREVIEW | Track & field makes the trip to Slippery Rock for 2023 PSAC Outdoor Championships

| By: Connor Donohue, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

40 Golden Bears head to Slippery Rock to represent KU track & field

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. --The Kutztown University track & field team will make the trip out west to Slippery Rock to take part in the 2023 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Outdoor Track & Field Championships, hosted at the William Lennox Track at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

40 Golden Bears will compete in events over the course of three days, with 25 representatives from the men's team and 15 representatives from the women's squad. 

Tickets can only be purchased via TicketLeap as it is a cashless event. There is no admission fee on Thursday, with Friday and Saturday tickets costing $10 for adults and $5 for students K-12. College students from PSAC institutions are free with valid ID.

Fans can watch the action for free on the Rock Athletics Digital Network and the PSAC Sports Digital Network online portals and television apps. Those apps can be downloaded for free on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV devices, and other compatible smart TVs. 

The first events of the meet will kick off on Thursday, May 11 at 11 a.m. and will run till Sunday, May 13. 

Men's Track & Field
The Golden Bears are coming into this year's outdoor championship with a chip on their shoulder, after finishing tenth in last year's edition of the championships. KU has already made leaps and bounds this year after a fourth-place finish at the indoor championships, its highest since 2019, and enter these championships ranked No. 13 in the USTFCCCA Atlantic Region poll.

25 Golden Bears will represent the men's squad, including:
Jacob Huber (Bethlehem, Pa./Saucon Valley) (10000m)
Jay Thompson (Wernersville, Pa./Conrad Weiser) (10000m)
Jacob Solonoski (Weatherly, Pa./Weatherly) (Discus, Hammer)
Jason Staunton (East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow) (Hammer)
Jack Hollar (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) (10000m)
Owen Weaver (Baldwinsville, Pa./C.W. Baker) (110m Hurdles, Decathlon)
Michael Fellin (Sheppton, Pa./Marian Catholic) (100m, 200m, 4x100)
James Washburn (Shoreham, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River) (400m, 400m Hurdles, 4x100, 4x400)
Matt Salazar (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills) (4x400)
JT Tamayo (Reading, Pa./Wilson) (400m Hurdles, 4x400)
Dekai Averett (Douglassville, Pa./Souderton) (110m Hurdles, 4x100)
Gabe Sample (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg) (Long Jump)
Kyle Love (Lansdowne, Pa./Bonner-Prendergast) (110m Hurdles)
Don Hill (Philadelphia, Pa./Neshaminy) (400m Hurdles, 4x100, 4x400)
Savaughn Hebron (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) (4x100, 4x400)
Anthony DeFusco (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) (Long Jump, Triple Jump)
Jordon Floyd (Westampton, N.J./Rancocas Valley Regional) (High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump)
TJ White (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg) (High Jump)
Jason Mraz (Edison, N.J./Edison) (Pole Vault)
Nate Schaeffer (Mohrsville, Pa./Schuylkill Valley) (Pole Vault)
Anthony Helmstetter (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) (Shot Put, Javelin)
Kevin Givone (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) (Javelin)
Cody Schabener (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) (3000m Steeplechase)
Kayden Platania (Buena, N.J./Buena Regional) (3000m Steeplechase)
Port Habalar (Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport) (1500m)

KU's jumpers will be the main story to look out for at Slippery Rock. The long jumpers, led by junior Anthony DeFusco (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone), come in at No.19 in the USTFCCCA Event Squad rankings, the third-highest in the PSAC. DeFusco is the only Golden Bear to set an NCAA provisional mark during the outdoor season, jumping 7.38m (24'2.5") at the Coach P Invitational, which is third-best in the PSAC this season. DeFusco also has the second-best mark in the PSAC in the triple jump, jumping 14.41m (47'3.5") at the Paul Kaiser Classic. 

The youth of this Golden Bear squad will also look to shine this week. Freshman sprinter Michael Fellin (Sheppton, Pa./Marian Catholic) ran the sixth-fastest 100m (10.75) in the PSAC this season, while freshman Dekai Averett (Douglassville, Pa./Souderton) has the fifth-best time in the 100m hurdles (14.97). Freshmen TJ White (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg), Kevin Givone (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth), and Cody Schabener (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) are other underclassmen to look out for at the championships. 

Pole vaulter Jason Mraz (Edison, N.J./Edison) is the other Golden Bear with a top-five mark in the PSAC this season, clearing the bar at 4.50m (14'9") at the Paul Kaiser Classic.

Women's Track and Field
The women's squad is looking to improve upon what was an impressive sixth-place finish at last year's outdoor championships at Millersville. The Golden Bears enter this week at Slippery Rock ranked No. 13 in the USTFCCCA Atlantic Region poll, the eighth-highest team in the PSAC.

15 Golden Bears will represent the women's squad, including:
Kiana Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) (100m, 200m, 4x100, 4x400)
Raechel Bonner (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) (200m, 400m, 4x100, 4x400)
Ava Bendetti (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland) (800m)
Deandra Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) (800m)
Erika Moriarty (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) (800m, 1500m)
Anastasia Fratanduono (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) (1500m, 3000m Steeplechase)
Jaelyn D'Amelio (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) (5000m, 10000m)
Sophia Knerr (Columbia, N.J./North Warren Regional) (5000m, 3000m Steeplechase)
Jaidah Mitchell (Pemberton, N.J./Pemberton Township) (400m Hurdles, 4x400)
Hazel Deschamps (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) (400m Hurdles)
Andrea Danciu (Mohnton, Pa./Governor Mifflin) (4x100, Pole Vault)
Brianna Foster (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley Park) (4x100, 4x400, Long Jump)
Mia Grassia (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) (High Jump)
Kacie Sienko (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) (High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump)
Haylee Edwards (Mohnton, Pa./Twin Valley) (Pole Vault)

Raechel Bonner (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) enters the week looking to add to her championship resume. Bonner won the 400-meter dash back at the 2021 outdoor championships, before winning the same event again this past winter at the 2023 indoor championships. She ran the eighth-fastest time in the PSAC in the 400m this season with a time of 58.07 at the Coach P Invitational. She is also slated to compete in the 200-meter dash, the 4x100, and the 4x400 relay events.

Kiana Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) has been one of the stories of the season for KU. The freshman from East Stroudsburg, Pa. set top ten program marks in both the 100 and 200 meters and improved upon both of them at the Paul Kaiser Classic on April 29. Young has the eight-best mark in the PSAC in both those events and will look to solidify herself as one of the top young sprinters in the conference at Slippery Rock. 

Freshman jumper Mia Grassia (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) is another underclassman who had an impressive 2023 campaign, clearing the bar at 1.65m (5'5") in the high jump, the third-best mark in the PSAC. Jaelyn D'Amelio (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) is the other Golden Bear with a top-five mark in the conference this season, setting a time of 38:58.66 at the Colonial Relays on March 30. 

Both the 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams set top-five marks in the PSAC this season and will look to push for the conference crowns. Last year, the 4x100 team, which included Brianna Foster (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley Park) and Bonner, won silver with a time of 47.59 at Millersville. 

 
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