CINCINNATI - Aaron Bienenfeld captured the 5,000m crown and both distance medley relays finished as runners-up to pace the University of Cincinnati track & field teams on the first day of action at the 2020 American Athletic Conference Championships that are being contested at the CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala.
// TEAM STANDINGS
The first day of action saw six events go final for the women and five for the men. On the men's side, the Bearcats have 24.5 points and sit third overall, just one-half of one point behind current runner-up Tulsa (25.0) while Houston has already amassed 72.5 points. UConn sits fourth with 21 points while the trio of ECU, USF and Wichita State are tied for fifth with 14 points. The women's race is much closer as the Top 8 teams are within 9.5 points of one another as ECU leads at 29.5 and SMU is eighth with 20. The Bearcats have tallied 21.5 points and are sixth with WSU just ahead of them at 22.
// CHAMPION... AGAIN
For the fourth time in his career and second time this academic year, Bienenfeld captured an individual AAC title as he won the 5,000m run in impressive fashion Friday night, finishing the event in 13:55.38 to win the title by nearly 20 seconds. Bienenfeld, a two-time outdoor 10,000m champion, also broke the meet record by nearly 15 seconds, taking down the previous mark of 14:09.96 the Ben Preisner (Tulsa) ran in 2018. Overall, Bienenfeld is only the third UC man to win the indoor 5,000m conference title and the first since 1998 when Mike Seymour won the Conference USA crown.
// GOING THE DISTANCE (MEDLEY)
Both DMRs had impressive nights on the track as each quartet finished as the race runner-up to earn eight team points for the Bearcats. First up were the women, who finished in 11:28.64, just 1.75 seconds behind champion Temple. The UC team, which was comprised of Sam Mikula (1,200m), Carmen Licht (400m), Sydney Kilgore (800m) and Ellie Leather (1,600m), broke the school record by eight seconds while also becoming the first UC team to run under 11:30 in the event. Three of those women (Licht, Kilgore and Leather) held the previous record of 11:36.35 that was run with Maddie Walker earlier this year, making them the first UC team to run under 11:40. Overall, the second-place finish is the best for UC in the AAC era (was fourth in 2018) and ties for the best-ever in program history, tying the 2000 squad of Mandy McCumber, Mary Danner, Michelle Bosse and Angie Kist.
The men also finished second as the team of Toni Banos, Akari Porter, Logan Baker and Matt Stump combined to run 10:05.50 and, like the women, earn all-conference honors with their finish. The men, which posted the #6 time in program history, tied the 2016 squad for the best AAC finish in the event while also tying for the third-best finish ever as the 1994 and 1996 squads each captured titles.
// MAKING THEIR POINTS • WOMEN
Four other women placed in the Top 8 on the day to collect points for the team with all coming in field events. Katie Straus and Sydney Spears scored five and one, respectively, in the pentathlon as both tallied season-best scores of 3,699 points and 3,494 points, respectively. Straus was fourth overall on the day and rose to her final ranking after running 2:20.95 in the 800m, which stands as the #2 time in UC pentathlon history, while Spears finished eighth overall on the day with her best mark of the day coming in the 60m hurdles where she ran 8.95, the #9 UC pentathlon time in program history.
UC collected points in two of the three field events contested with Kennedy Marable leading that charge a she was fifth in the long jump to score four points. Marable had a huge first-round jump of 5.90m (19-04.25), which not only held on to place her fifth in the meet, it also pushed her up to #6 in program history as she bettered her life time best by nearly one foot (10.25"). In the pole vault, Lily Bunse tied for fifth place with a clearance of 3.78m (12-04.75) to score 3.50 points.
// MAKING THEIR POINTS • MEN
Similar to the women, the men collected points in two of the three field event finals on the day with those points coming from the pole vault and weight throw. Sam Meece was unable to defend his title in the weight throw, but did finish fifth overall as he tossed the weight to 19.56m (64-02.25) to score four points. In the pole vault, Nicholas Lauria cleared 5.01m (16-05.25) to tie for sixth place and earn 2.5 points on the night.
// HEFTY HEPTATHLON START
There were big marks abound in the heptathlon as Damien Berthenet is the leader after the first four events with a personal-best 3,146 points while Cannon Riddle sits third with a personal-best total of 2,930 points. Additionally, those marks rank second and fifth all-time at UC, respectively, with Berthenet's total making him just the second man to surpass 3,100 points while moving past his current event coach, Chris Wineberg, who is now third at 3,060.
On the day, Berthenet ran 7.16 in the 60m dash, jumped 7.01m (23-00.00) in the long jump, launched the shot put to 14.29m (46-10.75) and cleared 1.95m (6-04.75) in the high jump. His 60m time ranks as the #4 time in UC heptathlon history while his shot put mark obliterated the previous record that Wineberg had held since 2004 with his best of 13.74m (45-01.00), 1' 9.75" behind Berthenet now.
Riddle posted a pair of personal bests to open the day as he ran 7.24 in the 60m dash and then jumped to 6.99m (22-11.25) in the long jump. His sprint time ranks him tied for #6 in program history while his long jump tied him with Coach Wineberg for third. Both men will be back in action Saturday as they compete in the 60m hurdles, pole vault and 1,000m run to close out the competition.
// MOVING ON • WOMEN
While Friday had several finals, many of the events contested were preliminary rounds on the track with the women advancing nine individuals through to Saturday's finals. Caisja Chandler had a strong start as she was the #2 qualifier in both the 60m (7.37) and 200m (23.65). She was joined in the sprints by Victoria Abunaw (8.53 - UC #8) in the 60m hurdles and Faith Banks (55.56) in the 400m as Saturday qualifiers. In the longer events, UC qualified two women in the 800m as Kilgore (2:14.70) and Licht (2:13.34 - UC #9), both members of the DMR, qualified sixth and seventh, respectively. In the mile, all three individuals qualified to the final, including Leather (4:57.43), Mikula (4:49.21) and Katrina Patterson (5:00.49) placed first, eighth and 12th, respectively.
// MOVING ON • MEN
Chris Borzor led the way for the men as he qualified to the final in both the 200m (21.13) and 400m (48.71) where he ranks first and seventh, respectively. Both entrants in the 60m hurdles also advanced with Arthur Greenlee IV (7.94) second and Connor Duricky (8.08) sixth. In the longer events, Jase Headings (1:53.79) qualified fifth in the 800m while Tyler Wirth (4:12.81) qualified eighth in the mile.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats will take one week off from competition before heading to Birmingham, Ala., on February 28-29 as they will compete in the 2020 American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships. The two-day meet will be contested at the CrossPlex once again with individual, relay and team championships on the line.
2020 AAC INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
CrossPlex • Birmingham, Ala.
February 28, 2020 • DAY 1
WOMEN'S RESULTS
60m DASH • Prelims
2. Caisja Chandler • 7.37 • qualified to final
16. Tiona Lattimore • 7.70
60m HURDLES • Prelims
7. Victoria Abunaw • 8.53 • SB & UC #8 • qualified to final
11. Katie Straus • 8.76
13. Angelica Lightfoot • 8.78
15. Calista Manns • 8.85 • SB
200m DASH • Prelims
2. Caisja Chandler • 23.65 • qualified to final
400m DASH • Prelims
5. Faith Banks • 55.56 • qualified to final
30. Kylie Cutlip • 58.54 • SB
800m RUN • Prelims
6. Sydney Kilgore • 2:14.70 • qualified to final
7. Carmen Licht • 2:13.34 • SB, PR & UC #9 • qualified to final
18. Rylee Penn • 2:21.62
MILE RUN • Prelims
1. Ellie Leather • 4:57.43 • qualified to final
8. Sam Mikula • 4:59.21 • qualified to final
12. Katrina Patterson • 5:00.49 • qualified to final
5,000m RUN • FINAL
18. Lauren Kemper • 18:01.33
DISTANCE MEDLEY RELAY • FINAL
2. Cincinnati • 11:28.64 • UC RECORD • All-Conference • 8 points
Mikula (3:35), Licht (57.0), Kilgore (2:14), Leather (4:41)
LONG JUMP • FINAL
5. Kennedy Marable • 5.90m (19-04.25) • SB, PR & UC #6 • 4 points
9. Irati Mitxelena • 5.81m (19-00.75)
POLE VAULT • FINAL
t5. Lily Bunse • 3.78m (12-04.75) • 3.5 points
t9. Rachel Coghill • 3.63m (11-10.75)
WEIGHT THROW • FINAL
9. Hannah Jackson • 18.56m (60-10.75) • SB, PR & UC #4
15. Izzy Kline • 16.57m (54-04.50) • SB & PR
17. Jane Sensibaugh • 15.34m (50-04.00)
18. Malin Smith • 14.48m (47-06.25)
PENTATHLON • FINAL
4. Katie Straus • 3,699 points • SB • 5 points
8. Sydney Spears • 3,494 points • SB • 1 point
9. Angelica Lightfoot • 3,446 points
Pentathlon #1 • 60m Hurdles
2. Angelica Lightfoot • 8.75 [963p]
3. Katie Straus • 8.85 [941p]
5. Sydney Spears • 8.95 [920p] • SB, PR & UC PENT #9
Pentathlon #2 • High Jump
4. Angelica Lightfoot • 1.64m (5-04.50)[783p] • SB
t5. Katie Straus • 1.61m (5-03.25)[747p]
t11. Sydney Spears • 1.58m (5-02.25)[712p]
Pentathlon #3 • Shot Put
1. Angelica Lightfoot • 13.22m (43-04.50)[742p] • SB
5. Katie Straus • 11.19m (36-08.50)[608p]
8. Sydney Spears • 10.54m (34-07.00)[565p] • SB & PR
Pentathlon #4 • Long Jump
5. Angelica Lightfoot • 5.38m (17-08.00)[665p] • ^SB
10. Katie Straus • 5.12m (16-09.75)[592p]
11. Sydney Spears • 5.11m (16-09.25)[589p]
Pentathlon #5 • 800m Run
3. Katie Straus • 2:20.95 [811p] • SB, PR & UC PENT #2
9. Sydney Spears • 2:28.77 [708p] • SB
17. Angelica Lightfoot • 3:08.12 [293p]
MEN'S RESULTS
60m DASH • Prelims
15. Anthony Woods • 6.98
60m HURDLES • Prelims
2. Arthur Greenlee IV • 7.94 • qualified to final
6. Connor Duricky • 8.08 • qualified to final
200m DASH • Prelims
1. Chris Borzor • 21.13 • qualified to final
400m DASH • Prelims
7. Chris Borzor • 48.71 • qualified to final
9. Tyrese Van Horne • 48.99
17. Akari Porter • 50.23
800m RUN • Prelims
5. Jase Headings • 1:53.79 • qualified to final
MILE RUN • Prelims
8. Tyler Wirth • 4:12.81 • qualified to final
14. Toni Banos • 4:19.15
5,000m RUN • FINAL
1. Aaron Bienenfeld • 13:55.38 • CHAMPION • All-Conference • Meet Record • 10 points
DISTANCE MEDLEY RELAY • FINAL
2. Cincinnati • 10:05.50 • SB & UC #5 • All-Conference • 8 points
Banos, Porter, Baker, Stump
LONG JUMP • FINAL
12. Austin Edwards • 6.73m (22-01.00)
13. Brandon White • 6.72m (22-00.75)
POLE VAULT • FINAL
t6. Nicholas Lauria • 5.01m (16-05.25) • 2.5 points
10. Austin Goolsby • 4.86m (15-11.25)
WEIGHT THROW • FINAL
5. Sam Meece • 19.56m (64-02.25) • 4 points
12. Chris Province • 16.16m (53-00.25)
13. Danny Jones • 16.08m (52-09.25)
15. Aaron Deaton • 15.66m (51-04.50)
HEPTATHLON • Day One
1. Damien Berthenet • 3,146 points • SB, PR & UC #2
3. Cannon Riddle • 2,930 points • SB, PR & UC #5
Heptathlon #1 • 60m Dash
2. Damien Berthenet • 7.16 [826p] • SB, PR & UC HEP #4
5. Cannon Riddle • 7.24 [799p] • SB, PR & UC HEP #6 (tie)
Heptathlon #2 • Long Jump
2. Damien Berthenet • 7.01m (23-00.00)[816p] • SB
3. Cannon Riddle • 6.99m (22-11.25)[811p] • SB, PR & UC HEP #3 (tie)
Heptathlon #3 • Shot Put
1. Damien Berthenet • 14.29m (46-10.75)[746p] • SB, PR & UC HEP RECORD
8. Cannon Riddle • 11.27m (36-11.75)[562p]
Heptathlon #4 • High Jump
t3. Damien Berthenet • 1.95m (6-04.75)[758p]
t3. Cannon Riddle • 1.95m (6-04.75)[758p]
TEAM STANDINGS • DAY 1
Women (thru 6 events)
1. ECU • 29.5
2. Tulsa • 28.0
3. Houston • 25.0
4. Memphis • 24.0
5. Wichita State • 22.0
6. CINCINNATI • 21.5
7. USF • 21.0
8. SMU • 20.0
9. Temple • 18.0
10. Tulane • 12.0
11. UConn • 10.0
12. UCF • 3.0
Men (thru 5 events)
1. Houston • 72.5
2. Tulsa • 25.0
3. CINCINNATI • 24.5
4. UConn • 21.0
5. ECU • 14.0
5. USF • 14.0
5. Wichita State • 14.0
8. Memphis • 10.0
Bienenfeld Golden as Bearcats Open Action in Birmingham
Aaron Bienenfeld captured the 5,000m crown and both distance medley relays finished as runners-up to pace the University of Cincinnati track & field teams on the first day of action at the 2020 American Athletic Conference Championships that are being contested at the CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala.
