UB Distance Medley Relay Wins MAC Title

MAC Track and Field Championships conclude first day

Mary Veith

BOWLING GREEN, OH – The first day of the Mid-American Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships, held at Bowling Green's Perry Field House, concluded Friday with the University at Buffalo women's distance medley relay squad earning a MAC title as well as several other impressive performances for the Bulls.

Stacy Downer

In the women's meet, the Bulls stand seventh of the 12 teams with 18.50 points. Akron (35.50) leads Ball State (35) by a half-point in the women's team scoring. The UB men are sixth in the six-team men's competition with six points. Central Michigan leads with 43 points, followed by Eastern Michigan at 43.

Kate Kohout

UB's women's distance medley relay squad earned a MAC title in the day's final event. The team of Mary Veith (Derby, NY/Lake Shore), Stacy Downer (Philadelphia, PA/Dobbins/Randolph Tech), Kate Kohout (Clarence, NY/Clarence) and Jen Jezorski (Elmira, NY/Elmira Southside) became UB's first-ever MAC champions in a relay event. The Bulls completed the race in 11:46.48 as Jezorski, in the anchor leg distance of 1,600-meters, passed Akron's runner with 800 meters to go and opened the lead for the Bulls.

Jen Jezorski

Head coach Vicki Mitchell was thrilled with her team's performance, especially with the newcomer to the foursome, Veith. "Mary Veith ran a great leg, very tactical, against the defending MAC 800-meter champion [Akron's Jenny Castle]. For a freshman to handle that with composure is impressive," she said.

Jessica Lister

Other highlights for the women included Jessica Lister (Rodman, NY/South Jefferson) earning All-MAC Second-Team honors with her finish in the pole vault. Lister turned in a personal-best leap of 12-8.25 (3.87m) to improve on her ECAC qualifying mark and finish just behind Miami's Sarah Landau (13-0.25/3.97m). Carrie Hinners (Maple Grove, MN/Maple Grove) earned a half-point with her eighth-place tie. Hinners cleared 11-8.50 (3.57m). Kohout also qualified for Saturday's 800-meter final, placing seventh in the opening heats in 2:13.88.

Bryan Weinstein

The UB men picked up a pair of sixth-place finishes on Friday. Ryan Gregory (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) cleared 14-5.50 (4.41m) in the pole vault. Meanwhile, the men's distance medley relay squad of Chris McClure (Trumansburg, NY/Charles O. Dickerson), Bryan Weinstein (Getzville, NY/Williamsville North), Paul Riley (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) and Dan McKenna (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) turned in a 10:43.30 clocking for their sixth-place finish.

Paul Riley

Weinstein also qualified for tomorrow's 200-meter finals after posting a 22.43 clocking in the heats. Riley qualified for the 800-meter finals in 1:55.92, the third-fastest time in the preliminaries. Rob McRae (Rexford, NY/Shenendehowa) and Brian Heim (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville East) also qualified for the 400-meter finals. McRae was the third-fastest qualifier in 49.36, while Heim was seventh-fastest in 49.83.

Competition concludes Saturday beginning at 10:30 am.

Women's team scores: Akron 35.50, Ball State 35, Kent State 26.50, Miami (OH) 25, Toledo 25, Central Michigan 19, UB 18.50, Eastern Michigan 17.50, Western Michigan 17, Bowling Green 11, Ohio 3, Northern Illinois 1.

Men's team scores: Central Michigan 45, Eastern Michigan 43, Kent State 30, Akron 20, Ohio 9, UB 6.

02/24/2006