BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo women's indoor track and field squad presented its team awards for the 2004-05 season at the annual Athletic Awards Banquet held at the Millennium Hotel on May 3.

Head coach Vicki Mitchell made the following presentations: Carrie Hinners (Maple Grove, MN/Maple Grove) earned the Top Newcomer Award; Jenny Koeppel (Amherst, NY/Amherst) earned the Most Improved Player Award; Vashone Wallace (Lackawanna, NY/Lackawanna) received the Coaches' Award; and Faith Thompson (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls) was named Most Outstanding.

Carrie Hinners

The Top Newcomer Award is presented to the individual student-athlete who distinguishes herself as the most talented new player on the team or the individual who accomplishes the greatest achievements as a first-year player. Hinners, a freshman pole vaulter, had a season-best mark of 11-0.25 (3.36m) at the Penn State National Meet on January 29. She also scored for the Bulls with an eighth-place finish at the Mid-American Conference Championships, clearing 10-11.75 (3.35m).

Jenny Koeppel

The Most Improved Player Award is presented to the student-athlete who has made the greatest stride or improvement in her performance from the previous season or from the beginning of the season to the end of the season. Koeppel, who was also named the women's cross country team's Most Outstanding and UB's Female Student-Athlete of the Year, set school records in a pair of distance events during the season. She finished third at the ECAC Championships in the 5,000-meter run in a school-record time of 16:34.04 to earn All-East honors. She also set the school record in the 3,000-meter run at the Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup in February and provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships in both events.

Vashone Wallace

The Coaches' Award is selected by the head coach and is given to the student-athlete who best exemplifies the team virtues as defined by the head coach. The recipient is one who stands out in dedication, commitment, unselfishness and enthusiasm towards helping the team improve. Wallace earned All-East honors as a member of UB's record-setting 4x400-meter relay team at the ECAC Championships. The team finished in 3:46.05 in the championship race after earning a spot in the finals with a then-record time of 3:47.25.

Faith Thompson

The Most Outstanding Player Award is given to the student-athlete who makes the most significant contribution to the accomplishments of the team through her skills and leadership. Thompson set the MAC and UB record in the weight throw with 65-6.75 (19.98m) to place third overall at the ECAC Championships, earning All-East honors and a provisional qualifying mark for the NCAA Championships. Thompson also won the MAC Championships weight throw title at 64-8.50 (19.72m), breaking the meet record with the toss.

The Bulls completed their season with an eighth-place finish at the MAC Championships and were 11th of 48 scoring teams at the NCAA East Regional Meet.