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UB Women's Cross Country Announces Awards

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women's cross country squad presented its team awards for the 2006 season at the annual Athletic Awards Banquet held at the Millennium Hotel on May 1.

Head coach Vicki Mitchell made the following presentations: Karen Corey (Kingston, NY/Kingston) was selected as the Top Newcomer; Jessica Schultz (Rochester, NY/Eastridge) earned the Most Improved Player Award; Kate Kohout (Clarence, NY/Clarence) received the Coaches’ Award; and Mary Veith (Derby, NY/Lake Shore) was named Most Outstanding.

Karen Corey

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. Corey, who had exhausted her eligibility in women's rowing, moved over to the cross country squad and raced in all seven events for the Bulls in 2006. She had two top-20 finishes, including her top 5K mark of 19:42 at Cornell's Reif Memorial Invitational as she placed 19th overall. In the classroom, Corey was named to the Mid-American Conference's All-Academic squad and earned a Fulbright Scholarship, which is considered the U.S. Government’s premier scholarship program, becoming the first UB athlete to ever be named as a grantee.

Jessica Schultz

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. Schultz raced in all seven events in 2006 and had three top-20 finishes. Her 5K time of 19:37 at Cornell's Reif Memorial Invitational was her season-best mark as she placed 15th in a field of 40. Her highest finish came at the season-opening Tommy Evans Invtational at the University of Akron where she turned in sub-20-minute time with her 19:50 clocking, placing fifth among 34 entrants.

Kate Kohout

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. Kohout, named as Most Improved in 2005, had three top-10 finishes in 2006 in her seven races for the Bulls. She turned in a top 5K time of 19:12 in two meets, the University of Toledo Invitational and the Reif Memorial Invitational, with overall individual finishes of eighth and 10th, respectively. For her efforts at the Cornell meet, Kohout was named the MAC's Female Runner of the Week.

Mary Veith

The Most Outstanding Award is given to the student-athlete who makes the most significant contribution to the accomplishments of the team through her skills and leadership. Veith, selected as the Top Newcomer in 2005, appeared in five events and did not finish lower than 18th in any meet. She posted her top 5K time of the season at 17:48, winning the individual title at the University of Toledo Invitational. She also garnered All-MAC first-team honors with her second-place finish at the conference meet in 20:37.65 along a muddy course. Veith won All-Northeast honors with her finish at the NCAA regional meet in the Bronx with a 21:56.7 clocking for 18th place among 228 runners. Veith also was named to the Academic All-MAC squad at the end of the season, one of three women to earn All-MAC and Academic All-MAC in 2006.

The Bulls completed their season with an 11th-place finish at the MAC Championships, which the team hosted at Beaver Island State Park and followed by a 15th-place showing at the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships.