Jenny Koeppel

PHILADELPHIA, PA - The University at Buffalo sent several of its men's and women's track and field athletes to the Penn Relays in Philadelphia. UB got some strong results and many of the nation's best athletes in preparation for the upcoming Mid-American Conference Championships next month.

Jenny Koeppel (Amherst, NY/Amherst) made the biggest impact for the Bulls at the meet by adding her name to the UB record book. Koeppel broke a 10-year old record in the 5,000-meter run as she finished in 16:52.83, good for sixth-place in a field of 40. The time broke Judith Novak's 1994 mark of 16:56.54 and qualified Koeppel for the NCAA Eastern Regional meet in Gainesville, FL next month.

The UB women's sprint medley relay team of Stacy Downer (Philadelphia, PA/Dobbins Tech) Patrice Coney (Lyons, NY/Lyons), Celestine Coney (Lyons, NY/Lyons) and Allison Laske (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua) turned in an impressive finish in its race finishing sixth behind five of the nation's elite programs as 44 teams vied for the Championship of America. The Bulls turned in a 3:54.97 clocking, 13 seconds behind first-place Tennessee and only a quarter-second out of fifth. UB also trailed only Tennessee, LSU, Ohio State, Stanford and North Carolina. Of those five programs, only Stanford did not race in the Bulls' heat.

Downer, Celestine Coney, Vashone Wallace (Lackawanna, NY/Lackawanna) and Laske helped the Bulls to the ECAC final of the 4x400 relay. The foursome took fifth in 3:47.66. UB qualified for the finals with an opening day time of 3:47.49, fourth among the eight-team heat, with Wallace in the second spot in place of Coney and Jackie Cianfarano (Oswego, NY/Oswego) running the third leg. The 4x100 relay team of Dana Ventrone (Pittsburgh, PA/Chartiers Valley), Krystal Seiling (Lewiston, NY/Lewiston-Porter), Charisse Everett (Rochester, NY/Edison Tech) and Downer placed third in a nine-team heat and 36th among 80 squads in a 47.78 clocking.

Other women's individual finishes included Sarah Vance (Lockport, NY/Lockport) taking ninth among 33 entrants in the Eastern Shot Put at 43-4.25 (13.21m). Vance also placed 26th of 30 in the hammer throw at 149-0 (45.42m). Beverly Weyer (Castalia, OH/St Mary's Central Catholic) was 19th of 27 in the discus at 134-0 (40.84m). Deven Fister (Poughkeepsie, NY/Arlington) tied for 23rd among 30 in the pole vault at 10-10 (3.30m). UB's other pole vaulter, Laura Olson (Lyons, NY/Lyons) was eliminated from the championship section of the event with no mark as she was unable to clear the opening 11-9.75 (3.60m) height. Celestine Coney also finished 31st of 44 in the 400-meter hurdles at 1:03.21.

Reggie Rucker

For the UB men, a pair of sophomore long jumpers highlighted the team's efforts. Reggie Rucker (Rochester, NY/Edison Tech) scored a third-place finish in the Eastern Long Jump with a distance of 23-9.50 (7.25m). Teammate Roy Richards (Rochester, NY/Edison Tech) took 12th in the 18-man field at 22-5.25 (6.84m). Brian Heim (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville East) clocked a 53.87 in the 400-meter hurdles. His time was third in his six-man heat and 30th of 59 overall.

The Bulls also fielded three men's relay squads. The 4x100 foursome of Bryan Weinstein (Getzville, NY/Williamsville North), Gary Asbach (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island), Rucker and Richards turned in a 41.84 showing for seventh in a nine-team heat and was 38th among 92 overall entrants. Weinstein joined Tom Abbey (Arcade, NY/Pioneer), Todd Joki (Saratoga Springs, NY/Schuylerville) and Derrick Frenney (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy) in the 4x400 relay. The team was second of eight in its heat in 3:18.46 and finished in the middle of the pack at 53rd of 106 entrants. The 4x800 squad finished in 7:48.70 to place 11th of 14 in its heat and 23rd of 28 overall.

The Bulls travel to Akron for next weekend's Al Campbell Invitational.