CROSS COUNTRY

Men's Roster  |  Women's Roster  |  Coaches  |  Schedule / Results  |  News

Cross Country Teams Complete Paul Short Invite

Mary Veith

BETHLEHEM, PA – The University at Buffalo’s men’s and women’s cross country teams were in action on Friday at the 34th Annual Paul Short Invite, hosted by Lehigh University. The meet, one of the largest in the country, included several ranked teams and is considered UB’s toughest test against national competition.

The UB men scored 604 points in a 41-team field to finish 20th overall. Villanova became the first men’s team to win back-to-back Paul Short titles since 2005 as the Wildcats scored 50 points to hold off nationally-ranked squads Syracuse (84) and Princeton (92). The UB women scored 739 points to place 26th in the 47-team field. Princeton, currently ranked 16th in the latest poll, won the women’s meet with 45 points, easily outdistancing second-place West Virginia’s 118.

UB junior Mary Veith (Derby, NY/Lake Shore) was the top runner in the women’s 6K race. Veith finished in 21:29 to place 32nd among a 317-runner field and was the only UB woman in the top 100.

Sophomore Nicole Soblosky (Colonie, NY/Colonie) placed 108th in 22:37. Junior Jessica Schultz (Rochester, NY/Eastridge) took 177th place in 23:35 and junior Jessica O’Neill (Skaneateles, NY/Skaneateles) took 189th place in 23:34.

Dan Giza

For the UB men, three racers finished in the top 100 led by senior Dan Giza (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster). Giza completed the 8K course in 25:29 to finish 62nd among 268 runners. The time was his fastest of the season, cutting his previous best set at the Spartan Invite, by nine seconds.

Also finishing in the top 100 were senior Jesse Mang (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) and sophomore Jason Ayr (Westfield, MA/Westfield). Mang finished 80th in 25:41 with Ayr just eight seconds behind at 25:49 to take 95th place. Mang cut more than a minute off his previous best mark this season while Ayr bettered his top mark by 15 seconds. Both previous bests were also set at the Spartan Invite at Michigan State.

Villanova’s Bobby Curtis won the men’s race in 23:39, 25 seconds faster than second-place finisher Andrew Ledwith of Iona. In the women’s race, Texas Tech junior Sally Kipyego won the race in 19:59, 17 seconds ahead of teammate and second-place finisher Irene Kimaiyo.

Both squads are idle next weekend. The Bulls race at the Bowling Green Falcon Invite on October 13 as they prep for the Mid-American Conference meet on October 27.