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McKenna Earns All-Northeast Honors

Dan McKenna

BOSTON, MA ­ Junior Dan McKenna (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) earned All-Northeast honors with his 19th-place individual finish to highlight the University at Buffalo's men's and women's cross country squads at the 2005 NCAA Northeast Region Championships at Franklin Park in Boston.

McKenna finished the 10K course in 30:50.9, more than two minutes faster than last year's finish in the regional meet. McKenna became the first UB men's runner to earn All-Northeast status since Jerimie Slick finished eighth in the 2001 meet. The top 25 finishers in the men's and women's fields earn All-Region honors.

"I'm thrilled with the men's team," said UB cross country coach Vicki Mitchell. "Dan McKenna ran a phenomenal race."

Andy Leonard (Spencerport, NY/Churchville-Chili) finished 62nd overall in 31:50.1. Matt Moynihan (Rochester, NY/Penfield) placed 96th in 32:44.3. Dan Healy (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) was 98th in 32:47.0 and Paul Riley (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) rounded out the men's scorers in 32:48.4 to place 100th. The men's field consisted of 232 runners from Division I programs throughout New York and New England.

Jen Jezorski

Senior Jen Jezorski (Elmira, NY/Elmira Southside) was UB's top women's finisher on Saturday. Jezorski covered the 6K course in 22:07.0 to take 42nd among 254 runners.

Three other UB women finished within the top 100. Aleksandra Bykowska (Poznan, Poland/Third High School in Poznan) was 85th in 22:50.4. Mary Veith (Derby, NY/Lake Shore) took 88th in 22:52.2 and Jessica O'Neill (Skaneateles, NY/Skaneateles) placed 93rd in a season-best 22:55.0. Kelli O'Brien (Clifton Springs, NY/Manchester-Shortsville) rounded out UB's scoring with a 127th-place finish in 23:25.2.

In the team competitions, the UB men posted their best-ever finish with an 11th-place showing, scoring 368 points, among 37 teams. The Bulls were just three points out of the top 10. The UB women scored 435 points to place 16th in a 38-team field. Iona won the men's championship with 33 points, followed by Dartmouth (50) and Providence (67). In the women's meet, Boston College claimed the team title by one point, holding off second-place Columbia, 87-88. Providence was third at 94 points. The top three teams qualify for the NCAA Championships on November 21 in Terre Haute, IN. Additionally, the next five finishers in each of the eight regional races earn at-large spots in the national field.

UB's men's team will race once more in 2005 as they travel next weekend to the IC4A Championships at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. The UB women completed their season with today's meet.