MT. PLEASANT, MI – Two University at Buffalo athletes became Mid-American Conference champions on Friday as the second day of the of the MAC Track and Field Championships concluded in Mt. Pleasant, MI.

Laura Olson

Women’s pole vaulter Laura Olson (Lyons, NY/Lyons) earned her first conference title with her winning mark of 13-1.75 (4.01m). The mark also broke the school record that she had set at the Penn Relays in April.

Also earning his first MAC title was multi-event performer Carlos Williams (Jamestown, NY/Westfield Academy). Williams rallied from second place after the first day of the men’s decathlon to win the 10-event competition on Friday with 6,561 points. UB’s other decathlete, Steve Esler (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute), the leader after the first five events fell to seventh, finishing with 6,068 total points.

Carlos Williams

Aside from Olson’s record-tying pole vault, the Bulls posted two additional school records on Friday. Shot putter Byron McKinney (Amherst, NY/Sweet Home) broke his own mark with a third-place finish of 56-5.75. The throw bettered his old record, set in the season-opening Alabama Relays of 55-9.75. Women’s heptathlete Meagan Rogers (Courtenay, BC/George P. Vanier) also established a new record with her finish in the seven-event competition. Rogers scored 4,921 points to place fourth overall and improve on last season’s MAC Championships total of 4,793 points.

Other highlights from Friday’s action included women’s shot putters Sarah Vance (Lockport, NY/Lockport) and Faith Thompson (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls) taking fourth and fifth, respectively, in their event. Vance finished with a throw of 44-6 while Thompson recorded a toss of 44-4.75. Jessica Moldovan (Warren, PA/Warren Area) raced to an eighth-place finish in the steeplechase in 11:13.25.

Competition concludes Saturday.