Celestine Coney

HILLSDALE, MI – Four new school records were set as the University at Buffalo track and field teams competed at the 39^th Annual Gina Relays at Hillsdale College’s Ken Herrick Track. There was no scoring in the meet that featured schools throughout Michigan, Ohio and Indiana and included several Mid-American Conference squads.

The UB women won two events and established records in three individual events as well as a relay race. Vanessa Roelofson (Alma, Ontario/Norwell District SS) scored a first-place finish in the javelin throw with a toss of 144-9 (44.11m) while Faith Thompson (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls) was victorious in the hammer throw at 191-2 (58.27m). Thompson also finished second in the shot put at 49-7.25 (15.12m).

Sarah Vance (Lockport, NY/Lockport) had a solid day for the Bulls with a pair of third-place showings and a seventh-place finish in her throwing events. Vance broke her week-old record in the discus with a toss of 157-4 (47.97m) to place third in the event. The throw bettered her effort from the UB Open by nine inches. Vance also established a season-best in the hammer throw with a 174-3 (53.12m) effort, adding nearly four feet to her previous best. She also placed seventh behind Thompson in the shot put at 45-11.25 (14.00m).

Celestine Coney (Lyons, NY/Lyons) broke her own record in the 400-meter hurdles. Coney finished second overall in 1:00.63, slicing her old mark set at the Bucknell Bison Open on April 16 by three-quarters of a second. The time also earned Coney a spot in the NCAA East Regional meet later this season.

Jen Jezorski (Elmira, NY/Elmira Southside) also picked up a second-place finish as she lowered her season-best time in the 1500-meters. She clocked a 4:29.27, cutting two-tenths of a second from her personal record that she set at the Bison Open.

Kelli O'Brien

Kelli O’Brien (Clifton Springs, NY/Manchester-Shortsville) was equally impressive in her distance event. O’Brien broke her own record with a seventh-place showing in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. She crossed the finish line in 11:04.50, cutting seven-tenths of a second from her previous record set at the Raleigh Relays on March 26.

UB sprinters also posted strong finishes as Patrice Coney (Lyons, NY/Lyons) was fourth in the 100-meter hurdles in 14.52 seconds and seventh in the 200-meters in 25.38 seconds. Stacy Downer (Philadelphia, PA/Dobbins Tech) lowered her season-best time in the 100-meters to 12.13 seconds for a sixth-place finish.

UB’s 4x400 team of Downer, Patrice Coney, Vashone Wallace (Lackawanna, NY/Lackawanna) and Celestine Coney broke their own school record finishing second overall in 3:44.77 while the 4x100 squad of Ventrone, Charrise Everett (Rochester, NY/Edison Tech), Wallace and Downer took third in its race in 47.86 seconds.

In the men’s meet, Todd Joki (Saratoga Springs, NY/Schuylerville) took home a second-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles in 14.40 seconds. Joki also earned a season-best mark in the long jump with his fourth-place finish of 23-8 (7.21m) and placed sixth in the 200-meters in 22.24 seconds.

Brian Heim

Brian Heim (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville East) also had a second-place finish in his race, the 400-meter hurdles, clocking a 53.42. Dan McKenna (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) finished seventh in the 1500-meters in 3:53.12.

In the field, Gary Asbach (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) established season bests in both his events. Asbach finished third in the triple jump at 45-11.25 (14.00m) while also taking seventh, behind Joki, in the long jump at 23-0.50 (7.02m). Mike Giordano (Springville, NY/Springville) established a season-best in the shot put with a toss of 52-0.50 (15.86m) to finish fifth while David Eckert (Millbrook, NY/Millbrook) finished eighth in the pole vault at 14-6 (4.42m), his season-best.

The men’s 4x400 relay team of Joki, Paul Riley (Buffalo, NY/Canisius), Chris McClure (Trumansburg, NY/Trumansburg) and Heim placed fourth in 3:21.94.

UB’s squads are at the Akron Open next weekend.