CROSS COUNTRY

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BUFFALO, NY ­ The University at Buffalo women's cross country squad presented its team awards for the 2004 season at the annual Athletic Awards Banquet held at the Millennium Hotel on May 3.

Head coach Vicki Mitchell made the following presentations: Kelli O'Brien (Clifton Springs, NY/Manchester-Shortsville) earned the Top Newcomer Award; Jennie Donofrio (Pittsford, NY/Penfield) earned the Most Improved Player Award; Carolynne Jones (Rochester, NY/Irondequoit) received the Coaches' Award; and Jenny Koeppel (Amherst, NY/Amherst) was named Most Outstanding for the second consecutive season. Additionally, Koeppel earned UB's Female Student-Athlete of the Year honor for her outstanding performances during the season.

Kelli O'Brien

The Top Newcomer Award is presented to the individual student-athlete who distinguishes herself as the most talented new player on the team or the individual who accomplishes the greatest achievements as a first-year player. O'Brien competed in eight meets and earned second-team All-Mid-American Conference honors with her 12th-place finish at the league championships in 18:42.20. Her best time of the season for 5K was 18:37 for a 17th-place individual finish at the Central Collegiate Invitational in Toledo, OH.

Jennie Donofrio

The Most Improved Player Award is presented to the student-athlete who has made the greatest stride or improvement in her performance from the previous season or from the beginning of the season to the end of the season. Donofrio was in eight meets with her best performance coming at the UB Open as she finished the 5K distance in 19:21.91 to place sixth overall and help the Bulls to the team title.

Carolynne Jones

The Coaches' Award is selected by the head coach and is given to the student-athlete who best exemplifies the team virtues as defined by the head coach. The recipient is one who stands out in dedication, commitment, unselfishness and enthusiasm towards helping the team improve. Jones appeared in seven races. She posted her best 5K finish of the year at the UB Open in 20:14.09 to place 15th overall.

Jenny Koeppel

The Most Outstanding Player Award is given to the student-athlete who makes the most significant contribution to the accomplishments of the team through her skills and leadership. Koeppel earned first-team All-MAC honors when she won the individual title at the league championships in Toledo, OH with a 5K clocking of 17:51.70. She also earned All-Northeast recognition with a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Northeast Regional meet in New York, turning in a time of 20:59.7 for 6K to earn a spot in the NCAA Championships field. Koeppel became UB's first women's Division I participant at the NCAA meet in Terre Haute, IN, finishing 56th in a field of 250 runners in 21:28.0 for 6K. She had seven top-10 finishes in her nine meets and was named the MAC's Runner of the Week four times in 2004.

The Bulls completed their season with a fourth-place finish at the MAC Championships and tied for ninth at the NCAA Northeast Regional Meet.