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Cross Country Weekly Release

Bulls See Longer Distances at Spartan Meet

The University at Buffalo men’s and women’s cross country teams saw some strong competition from Michigan and some longer distances as the Bulls ran at the Spartan Invitational, hosted by Michigan State University on Friday, September 14. The courses in East Lansing consisted of the customary 8K distance for the men and a longer 6K distance for the women. The UB women scored 133 points to finish fourth among 10 teams while the UB men took fifth place among 11 schools with 150 points. Michigan State’s women, ranked 10th in the current USTFCCCA National Division I Poll sent seven of the top eight runners across the finish line to score a perfect 15 points to take the team title. Grand Valley State scored 27 points to hold off 21st-ranked Michigan State’s 35 to win the men’s title.

Veith, Giza Lead Bulls in First Appearances of Season

Mary Veith

UB junior Mary Veith (Derby, NY/Lake Shore) paced the women’s runners. Veith, an All-Mid-American Conference first-teamer in 2006, finished sixth behind five Michigan State runners. She completed the 6K course in 21:52, just two seconds behind the fifth-place finisher and 20 seconds behind the third-place runner. Michigan State senior Nicole Bush won the women’s individual title in 20:39. Veith did not compete at the season-opening Tommy Evans Invitational in Akron.

Leading the UB men was senior Dan Giza (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster). Giza, in his first action of the season, completed the 8K course in 25:38 to place 12th among 151 entrants. Giza’s time was more than a minute faster than his best clocking of the 2006 season when he posted a 26:50 at the Toledo Invitational. Grand Valley State’s Nate Peck won the men’s race in 24:43.

Going the Distance

Dan Giza

The Spartan Invitational was the first meet that the UB women will compete in this season that is contested at 6K rather than the customary 5K. With a young squad, it the first time in their racing careers that many had to go the extra distance. Of those that ran in East Lansing, seven of the 11 UB women raced at 6K for the first time. As for the UB men, five of the 12 entrants raced at 8K for the first time, although the distance is common in men’s cross country. The Tommy Evans Invitational on September 8 featured a shorter four-mile (6.4K) course for the men.

Stampede on the Island

UB hosts the UB Stampede Open this Saturday at Beaver Island State Park on Grand Island in their only appearance on home turf this season. The women’s 5K race begins at 11:00 am with the men’s 8K race contested at 11:45 am. The tentative list of opponents for the Bulls include local and regional rivals Colgate, Hilbert, Medaille, D’Youville and Erie Community College. Mid-American Conference rival Toledo is also expected with a men’s team. The UB men took last season’s team title while the UB women finished fourth.