UB Track Teams Open MAC Championships

Roelofsen earns All-MAC honors with second-place finish in women's javelin

Vanessa Roelofsen

TOLEDO, OH – The University at Buffalo men's and women's track and field teams opened competition on Thursday at the Mid-American Conference Championships, scoring points in the javelin throw and 10,000-meter run.

After four women's events, the Bulls are fourth among 12 teams with 12 points. With three events completed in the seven-team men's meet, UB stands seventh with two points. The Akron women (36) and Kent State men (36) hold the overall team leads after the first day of competition.

UB sophomore Vanessa Roelofsen (Alma, Ontario/Norwell District SS) earned All-MAC second-team honors with her second-place finish in the women's javelin. Roelofsen, who also placed second at last season's championships, finished with a toss of 166-1 (50.63m) to place behind Akron's Ashley Kaufman (176-10, 53.90m), the MAC leader in the event. Roelofsen's throw was nine inches shy of the school record she set two weeks ago at the Gina Relays.

P.J. Godios

Men's sophomore thrower P.J. Godios (Hamburg, NY/St. Francis) scored for the Bulls as he finished eighth in the men's javelin. Godios' final throw of the day soared 171-3 (52.21m) to put UB on the scoreboard.

Jenny Koeppel

Jenny Koeppel (Amherst, NY/Amherst) scored a fifth-place finish in the women's 10,000-meter run. Koeppel, the UB recordholder in the event, turned in a clocking of 36:27.40. Ball State's Jill Scully set a track record with her victory in 35:28.24.

Andy Leonard

Andy Leonard (Spencerport, NY/Churchville-Chili) turned in a season-best mark with his eighth-place finish in the men's 10,000-meter run. Leonard completed the distance in 31:54.50, cutting four-hundredths of a second off his previous best set at the Bucknell Bison Open on April 15.

Competition continues Friday and Saturday.

Team scores

Women (through four events) -- Akron 36, Kent State 32.50, Ohio 19, Buffalo 12, Bowling Green 11, Miami (OH) 10, Ball State 10, Western Michigan 7.50, Northern Illinois 7, Eastern Michigan 5, Toledo 4, Central Michigan 2.

Men (through three events) -- Kent State 36, Miami (OH) 28, Central Michigan 19, Eastern Michigan 17, Akron 12, Ohio 3, Buffalo 2.

05/11/2006