BUFFALO, NY – The Buffalo State track & field team continued their rise as one of the premier programs in the SUNYAC. After another successful indoor and outdoor season, the track & field team is ready to add a strong group of talent next season and continue their surge to the top.
The 2024-25 indoor season featured four school records, two All-Americans, four USTFCCCA All-Region athletes, five SUNYAC Champions, nine All-SUNYAC honors, and two meet records.
Xzavier Goodman (Buffalo, NY/Olmstead) broke the school record in the weight throw at 16.59 meters while
Jalil Coppedge (Bronx, NY/Ralph R. McKee) set the program mark in the 60-meter hurdles at 8.37 seconds as they both earned All-SUNYAC recognition.
Sidney Morris (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East) earned the win in the 800-meter run at SUNYAC Championships with a time of 1:57.11.
Natalia Sawyer (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont) and
Makhia Laster (Buffalo, NY/Tapestry Charter) continue their historic careers following impressive SUNYAC Championship Meet performances. Sawyer earned three individual titles in the 60-meter hurdles as well as the 200-meter and 400-meter runs while earning the Women's Most Valuable Performer of the Meet and setting the meet record in the 400-meter at 56.58 seconds. Laster repeated as the long jump champion with a mark of 5.53 meters while also crossing the line second in the 60-meter sprint. Both later went on to compete at the AARTFC Regional Meet that saw Sawyer win and break the meet record in the 400-meter run at 56.80 seconds as they each punched their tickets to NCAA Indoor Championships at Nazareth. Sawyer finished fifth in the 400-meter and Laster took home 16
th in the 60-meter and 17
th in the long jump as they both earned All-America honors. Sawyer also was named the SUNYAC Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.
The 2025 outdoor season also saw success with two more school records, two USTFCCCA All-Region athletes, another SUNYAC Champion, and seven more All-SUNYAC honors. Goodman continued to shine setting the record in the shot put at 16.08 meters while
Bryan Honan (Cortland, NY/Cortland) broke out with a school record performance in the hammer throw at 54.50 meters. In addition to the duo earning All-SUNYAC was Laster,
Bryanna Herring (Brockport, NY/Brockport),
Gio Ventura (Geneva, NY/Geneva), and
Zakiyah McQueen (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls).
The outdoor season also featured Laster looking to make one last mark on her legacy at Buffalo State. After claiming her fourth straight SUNYAC Championship in the long jump (between indoor and outdoor), she went on to also win the AARTFC Regional Championship in the event at 5.97 meters. After punching her ticket to her final NCAA Championship Meet, Laster finished 21
st in the event and was named the SUNYAC Field Athlete of the Year for a second straight outdoor season.
Overall, the Buffalo State track & field team has continued to shine over the past few seasons. With an impressive freshman class coming in, the Bengals are set up perfectly to begin their climb up the SUNYAC and NCAA leaderboards.
