TRACK & FIELD

Men's Roster  |  Women's Roster  |  Coaches  |  Schedule / Results  |  News

Higgins, Heim Win MAC Titles on Final Day

Brian Heim

Junior Brian Heim (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville East) took his second men's 400-meter hurdles title in three seasons in a school-record time while junior Rayshon Higgins (Buffalo, NY/Bishop Timon-St. Jude) claimed the first MAC title of his career in the men's triple jump.

Heim broke his own school record in winning the hurdles crown on Saturday, turning in a time of 51.75, to lower his school record by two-tenths of a second. Heim won the 2004 title in 51.95 to set the school record and then tied the time earlier this season at the Miami (OH) Invitational. He clocked the fastest preliminary time of 53.78 on Friday.

Rayshon Higgins

Higgins, meanwhile, soared to an easy victory in the men's triple jump with a distance of 48-10.25 (14.89m) to win the event by more than 15 inches. Higgins posted the top two jumps of the competition, clearing his winning distance on his second attempt of the afternoon. He only attempted one additional jump before passing on his final two attempts and claiming the crown. Junior teammate Roy Richards (Rochester, NY/Edison Tech) finished sixth in the event with a season-best mark of 45-10.50 (13.98m). Richards also finished sixth in Friday's long jump competition.

Heim and Richards were also part of UB's second-place finish in the men's 4x100-meter relay as UB broke the school record in the event for the second time this season. The foursome of Bryan Weinstein (Getzville, NY/Williamsville North), Reggie Rucker (Rochester, NY/Edison Tech), Heim and Richards completed the lap around track in 40.99, bettering the previous record of 41.06 set on April 22 at the Northeast Ohio Invite. The UB foursome took second place by just two-hundredths of a second over third-place Akron (41.01). Central Michigan won the title in 40.64. Weinstein also finished eighth in the men's 200-meters in 21.99.

Kate Kohout

UB racers had a pair of third-place finishes in the 800-meter run. Junior Paul Riley (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) finished in 1:54.12 in the men's competition while junior Kate Kohout (Clarence, NY/Clarence) turned in a 2:10.89 in the women's race, just missing her personal best by one-hundredth of a second.

Freshman men's discus throwers Alex Stamatakis (Hania, Crete, Greece/First Technical & Vocational School of Crete) and Jake Madonia (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) scored points for the Bulls on Saturday. Stamatakis finished seventh with his discus throw of 152-2 (46.38m) while Madonia, who finished eighth in Friday's shot put, was eighth on Saturday at 150-7 (45.89m).

In the distance races, senior Jenny Koeppel (Amherst, NY/Amherst) placed sixth in the women's 5,000-meters in 17:04.95. Freshman Mary Veith (Derby, NY/Lake Shore) turned in a seventh-place finish in the women's 1,500-meter run in 4:36.59. Sophomore Dan Giza (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) was 10th in the men's race in 4:02.13.

UB's women's relay teams set season-bests in both races. The 4x100-meter relay foursome of Dana Ventrone (Pittsburgh, PA/Chartiers Valley), Stacy Downer (Philadelphia, PA/Dobbins/Randolph Tech), Shauna Curry (Rochester, NY/Wilson Magnet) and Fatimah Hill (Waterport, NY/Lyndonville) finished 11th in 48.86 to set a season-best mark. Downer, Kohout, Veith and Curry formed the 4x400-meter relay that turned in a 3:54.19 clocking to finish 10th.

Heim and Higgins earned All-MAC first team honors for their victories. Women's javelin thrower Vanessa Roelofsen (Alma, Ontario/Norwell District SS) earned a second team mention on Thursday.

The UB men finished seventh with 54 points in the seven-team event. UB's women placed 12th with 25 points among the 12 squads. Central Michigan won the men's team title with 176.50 points while Akron claimed the women's title with 141 points.

Final team scores

Women: Akron 141, Eastern Michigan 103, Ball State 97, Kent State 89.50, Western Michigan 85.50, Central Michigan 60, Bowling Green 52, Miami (OH) 50.50, Toledo 45, Northern Illinois 35.50, Ohio 35, Buffalo 25.

Men: Central Michigan 176.50, Eastern Michigan 159.50, Akron 134.50, Kent State 132, Miami (OH) 102.50, Ohio 58, Buffalo 52.