The men's and women's cross country teams expect to contend for the top few spots in the conference in this weekend's Mid-American Conference Championships in Toledo, Ohio.
Both UB squads have recorded some great finishes this season. Each team won the UB Open, and both placed 14th at the prestigious Penn State Invitational two weeks ago.
On Saturday, the Bulls will look to add to their list of accomplishments. Head coach Vicki Mitchell is looking forward to the weekend's events.
"This is definitely a culmination point of our season," said Mitchell. "Everyone on our team is very excited. We have been consistent all season and worked really hard. We have all consistently improved, and I am very excited to see them all compete."
The consistent top finishers for the men's team include Dan McKenna and Andy Wigton. The women's team includes a highly talented group of athletes including Jen Jezorski, Kelli O'Brien, Aleksandra Bykowska and the four-time MAC runner of the week, Jenny Koeppel.
Both Wigton and Koeppel have the talent to lead the Bulls to a great finish, Mitchell said, though she also made it clear that they are not the only two runners representing the University at Buffalo.
"Jenny (Koeppel) and Andy (Wigton) are both fit and ready to go this weekend," said Mitchell. "There are no givens in this sport. They will have to work hard, but I really think they are ready to compete and do very well."
Mitchell also stressed the level of competition the Bulls will be facing on Saturday.
"For the men, it's going to be Central Michigan," Mitchell commented. "They have a lot of depth, and are for the most part, pretty untouchable. Overall, it is a really tough field for the men to compete with."
On the other side, the women face a great challenge, but with a runner like Koeppel, the pack seems a lot closer, and a strong finish is definitely a possibility for the Bulls.
"The women's teams are a little different," said Mitchell. "Akron is coming off a terrific race; they are included in the mix with teams like Miami (Ohio) and Ball State. All of these teams are great and present a challenge. We need to stay focused and have fun this weekend."
