Faith Thompson

WILMINGTON, NC – Five regional qualifiers and three new school records highlighted the University at Buffalo’s outdoor track and field efforts at the UNC-Wilmington Seahawk Invitational at the Harold Greene Track and Field Complex.

UB’s women won the seven-team women’s meet with 184 points to outdistance the second-place Seahawks with 162. Maryland (108), Campbell (63), East Carolina (55), Lafayette (51.5) and Kutztown State (48.5) rounded out the field. The UB men scored 113 points to place second behind host UNC-Wilmington’s 253. Kutztown (90), Campbell (80), Maryland (61.5), Lafayette (60), Lynchburg College (21.5) and VMI (21) completed the eight-team field.

Faith Thompson (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls) won two events for the UB women. Thompson broke Sarah Vance’s (Lockport, NY/Lockport) record in the shot put with an NCAA regional qualifying mark of 48-11.5 (14.92m). The throw was six inches better than Vance’s mark at the 2004 Akron Quad meet. Thompson also won the hammer throw at 187-9 (57.23m) for her second regional qualifying mark of the day. The throw was also one inch off Sarah Fletcher’s 2002 record of 187-10 (57.27m).

Vanessa Roelofsen

Freshman Vanessa Roelofsen (Alma, Ontario/Norwell District) shattered the UB record in the javelin. In her first collegiate meet, Roelofsen won the event with a throw of 161-9 (49.30m), breaking Meagan Rogers’ 2003 record of 124-1 (37.82m) and earning the freshman a spot in the NCAA regional meet on Memorial Day weekend. Roelofsen also eclipsed her personal best by nearly 14 feet.

On the track UB had four women’s individual winners and swept the relay races. Jen Jezorski (Elmira, NY/Elmira Southside) took the 800-meters in 2:14.03. Kelli O’Brien (Clifton Springs, NY/Manchester-Shortsville) won the 5,000-meters in 17:34.80. UB won both hurdle events with Patrice Coney (Lyons, NY/Lyons) winning the 100-meter distance in 14.15 while her sister Celestine Coney (Lyons, NY/Lyons) was victorious in the 400-meter race in 1:02.26. Celestine Coney and Jezorski were also part of UB’s 4x400-meter relay winners in 3:53.07. Vashone Wallace (Lackawanna, NY/Lackawanna) ran the second leg while Stacy Downer (Philadelphia, PA/Dobbins Tech) anchored the team. UB’s foursome of Dana Ventrone (Pittsburgh, PA/Chartiers Valley), Charisse Everett (Rochester, NY/Edison Tech), Wallace and Downer also took the 4x100-meter relay in a regional qualifying time of 47.38.

The UB men won two events. Dan McKenna (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) took the 800-meter run in 1:54.57 and Todd Joki (Saratoga Springs, NY/Schuylerville) won the long jump at 23-2 (7.06m). Joki also finished second in the 110-meter hurdles in a school-record time of 14.31, breaking his old mark by .14 seconds, and earning a regional qualification.

The Bulls return to the Tar Heel State for next weekend’s Raleigh Relays, one of the largest outdoor events on the East Coast. The event, held at North Carolina State University, kicks off on Friday, March 25 and continues on Saturday, March 26.