Bulls Complete Akron Open

Bryan Weinstein

AKRON, OH - The University at Buffalo men's and women's track and field teams saw action in one of the largest fields of entrants this season as they completed the Akron Open Saturday night. Over 700 athletes and more than 25 men's and women's schools competed in the non-scoring meet.

Highlighting UB's efforts was the men's 4x400-meter relay team which established a new school record in the event. The UB foursome of Rob McRae (Rexford, NY/Shenendehowa), Brian Heim (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville East), Paul Riley (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) and Bryan Weinstein (Getzville, NY/Williamsville North) finished third among 11 entrants in 3:16.20, breaking the 2003 record by three-tenths of a second and improving on their IC4A qualifying time for this season.

Jen Jezorski

UB's women's 4x400-meter relay finished second in its race in 3:54.89, a season-best time. The team included Stacy Downer (Philadelphia, PA/Dobbins/Randolph Tech), Desiree Rudloff (West Falls, NY/East Aurora) , Jen Jezorski (Elmira, NY/Elmira Southside) and Kate Kohout (Clarence, NY/Clarence).

Jezorski also finished third in the 32-runner field in the 800-meter run. She clocked a 2:12.81 mark to earn a spot in March's ECAC Championships in the event.

Mary Veith (Derby, NY/Lake Shore) finished fifth in the 3,000-meter run in 10:08.95, UB's fastest time of the season. Dana Ventrone (Pittsburgh, PA/Chartiers Valley) tied for sixth in the long jump at 17-6 (5.33m) while Jessica Lister (Rodman, NY/South Jefferson) also placed sixth in the pole vault at 12-4.50 (3.77m), improving her ECAC qualifying mark set earlier this season.

In the men's meet, Weinstein also placed seventh in the 200-meters in 22.11 seconds. Heim scored a ninth-place finish in the 400-meters in 49.25 seconds, earning an IC4A qualifying mark and setting UB's fastest time of the season in the event. McRae took 10th in the race in 49.31 seconds, bettering his IC4A mark. Riley also established an IC4A qualifying time with his ninth-place showing in the 800-meters in 1:54.22.

Ryan Gregory (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) tied for seventh in the pole vault with a season-best mark of 15-0 (4.57m). Mike Giordano (Springville, NY/Springville) also finished seventh in the shot put at 54-6.50 (16.62m). Chris McAllister (Pleasant Valley, NY/Arlington) finished eighth in the men's heptathlon with a total score of 3,965 points.

The Bulls travel to University Park, PA for next weekend's Sykes-Sabock Challenge at Penn State on Friday and Saturday, February 10-11.