UB Women's Outdoor Track & Field Announces Awards

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women's outdoor track and field squad presented its team awards for the 2007 season following the completion of the year's competition.

Head coach Vicki Mitchell made the following presentations: Octavia Johnston (Syracuse, NY/Fowler) was selected as the Top Newcomer; Tina Villa (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs) earned the Most Improved Player Award; Kate Kohout (Clarence, NY/Clarence) received the Coaches’ Award; and Sarah Vance (Lockport, NY/Lockport) was named Most Outstanding.

Octavia Johnston

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. Johnston was UB's fastest woman in 2007 as she posted a team-best 12.31 seconds in the 100-meters at Akron's Campbell/Wright Open in May, setting a personal-best mark with the finish. She also helped the Bulls to score at the Mid-American Conference Championships as part of the 400-meter relay squad that placed eighth among the 11 entrants with a season-best time of 47.51 seconds.

Tina Villa

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. Villa was part of a strong UB women's weight throwing tandem along with Vance, placing third in the shot put at the MAC Championships with a career-best toss of 49-7 (15.11m). She also competed at the NCAA East Regional Championships in Gainesville, FL, where she took 10th in the shot put. Villa also posted a career-best discus throw of 155-1 (47.27m) at the Campbell/Wright Open.

Kate Kohout

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. Kohout was one of UB's top middle-distance runners in 2007, completing her career with a sixth-place finish in the 800-meter run (2:13.37) at the MAC Championships. She also anchored UB's 1,600-meter relay squad to a season-best mark of 3:50.09 as the team placed sixth among the 12 MAC programs in the race.

Sarah Vance

The Most Outstanding Award is given to the student-athlete who makes the most significant contribution to the accomplishments of the team through her skills and leadership. Vance finished her career by becoming the first UB student-athlete to qualify for more than one event at the NCAA Outdoor National Track and Field Championships, earning spots in the shot put and hammer throw after garnering All-East accolades in both events. She set a school record in the shot put at 51-9.75 (15.79m) to place fourth among 28 finishers in the NCAA East Regional Championships. She also picked up a third-place finish in the hammer throw, turning in a toss of 194-1 (59.17m). At the MAC Championships, Vance placed second in the hammer throw, third in the discus and fourth in the shot put. In 2007, she set outdoor school records in the shot put and discus (161-0, 49.07m).

The Bulls completed their season with a fifth-place finish at the MAC Championships and tied for 16th of 57 teams at the NCAA East Regional Championships.