Bloomington, Ind. – Rutgers track and field closed out the 2023 Big Ten Outdoor Championships with the most podium finishes since joining the conference, highlighted by Chloe Timberg taking the pole vault title.
 
Timberg, the school record holder in both indoor and outdoor, entered the competition as reigning champion in the event. She cleared a height of 4.41m (14' 5.5") to become a back-to-back Big Ten Outdoor Champion. Timberg was named First Team All-Big Ten for her performance. 
 
The Scarlet Knights earned 19 podium finishes, a gold and a silver medal and two school records during the three-day meet. The 19 podium finishes nearly doubled the program's previous record output.
 
"It was the greatest team performance we've ever had," said Bobby Farrell, director of track & field and cross country. "We didn't get the team score we wanted but it was the best the women ever scored. The most important part was that we had 19 podium finishes which eclipses our previous best of 11.
 
"We scored in nearly half the events, Rutgers was everywhere. On Championship Sunday, we had competitors in 21 of 25 events, over double the most we've ever had. We took another big step as we continue to build a championship program. The points will come as more and more of the group score in the top.
 

Day One

Rutgers secured points on the first day of competition in both the men's and women's javelin and men's pole vault. Steven Coponi posted the third podium finish of his career as he finished sixth in the javelin with a throw of 67.46m (221' 4"). Samantha Gravatt added the points on the women's side as she made her Big Ten Championships debut, finishing eighth in the javelin with a throw of 45.17m (148' 2").
 
Nico Morales cleared a height of 4.99m (16' 4.5") in the pole vault to place seventh overall and earn a podium finish.
 

Day Two

Points were scored in both the men's and women's long jump and two school records were broken on day two of competition. Sincere Robinson offered one of the bright spots with his silver medal performance in the long jump. The school record holder and Big Ten Indoor Champion, jumped 7.76m (25' 5.5") to finish second. Robinson picked up Second Team All-Big Ten accolades.
 
Freshman Celine-Jada Brown took her place on the podium as she jumped 6.12m (20' 1") to place fifth overall in the long jump.
 
School records were set during the trials of both the men's and women's 100-meter dash. The reigning school record on the men's side, Nadale Buntin improved on the best Rutgers time as he ran 10.21 to qualify for the Sunday finals. Dennisha Page broke the previous record that was set on the women's side in 2016 at the Big Ten Championships, as she ran a time of 11.30 to etch her name in the record books.
 

Day Three

Timberg served as the highlight on day three with her pole vault championship, while the Scarlet Knights picked up podium finishes in nine other events.
 
Buntin earned points in two events as he placed fourth in the 200-meter with a time of 20.49 and sixth in the 100-meter in a time of 10.34. Page also took the podium twice over the weekend as she finished fourth in the 200-meter in 23.15 and sixth in the 100-meter in 11.33.
 
Reanda Richards finished sixth in the 400-meter hurdles, running a time of 59.08, while Icisys Sadler earned a podium finish in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.51 to placed sixth overall.
 
Alex Carlson finished seventh in the women's 1,500-meter as she posted a time of 4:23.43 and Chris Serrao placed seventh in the 100-meter hurdles, running a time of 13.97. Ray Sellaro took eighth in the 1,500-meter with a time of 3:45.97, to round out the scoring for the Scarlet Knights.
 
The men's squad collected 29 points to finish 11th in a field of 13 teams, while the women totaled 37 points to place 10th in a 13-team field. It marked the highest point total and team finish for the women since competing in the first conference championships in 2015.
 

Big Ten Outdoor Championships

Men's Results
100M
6. Nadale Buntin                                                     10.34
 
200M
4. Nadale Buntin                                                     20.49
 
110M Hurdles
7. Christopher Serrao                                             13.97
 
1,500M
8. Ray Sellaro                                                           3:45.97
 
4x100M Relay
6. Christopher Serrao, Nadale Buntin                
Joshua Babe, Dana Ridley                                     40.48
 
4x400M Relay
7. Micah Wood, Nadale Buntin
Joshua Babe, Jameson Woodell                           3:09.70
 
Long Jump
2. Sincere Robinson                                               7.76m (25' 5.5")
 
Javelin
6. Steven Coponi                                                    67.46m (221' 4").
 
Pole Vault
7. Nico Morales                                                       4.99m (16' 4.5")
 
Women's Results
100M
6. Dennisha Page                                                    11.33
 
200M
4. Dennisha Page                                                    23.15
 
100M Hurdles
6. Icisys Sadler                                                         13.51
 
400M Hurdles
6. Reanda Richards                                                 59.08
 
1,500M
7. Alex Carlson                                                        4:23.43
 
4x100M Relay
7. Jada Ellis, Icisys Sadler,
Azariah Grantham, Sydney Hawkins                    46.10
 
4x400M Relay
5. Celine-Jada Brown, Charlee Crawford,
Reanda Richards, Shanelle Colmon                     3:38.52
 
Pole Vault
1. Chloe Timberg                                                    4.41m (14' 5.5")
 
Long Jump
5. Celine-Jada Brown                                                       6.12m (20' 1")
 
Javelin
8. Samantha Gravatt                                               45.17m (148' 2")