A trio of individuals and one relay team captured titles at the two-day indoor track conference championships at Bowling Green over the weekend.
The women's medley relay team, juniors Roy Richards and Rayshon Higgins, and senior Jen Jezorski all snagged Mid-American Conference championships for the Bulls.
The medley relay team consisting of freshman Mary Veith and seniors Stacey Downer, Kate Kohout and Jezorski set the tone for the Bulls in the final event of day one. The foursome raced to the finish line in 11:46.48. The victory was the first ever by a Bulls' relay team at the MAC finals.
The freshman Veith was the lead runner and played a crucial role in Buffalo's success in the event.
"Mary Veith ran a great leg. She was very tactical against the defending MAC 800-meter champ (Akron's Jenny Castle)," head coach Vicki Mitchell said in a press release. "For a freshman to handle that with composure is impressive."
Richards followed suit for the Bulls by taking the men's long jump title early in day two. Richards' jump of 24 feet, 9 3/4 inches was enough for first place and to break his own school record that he set in the event in 2004.
Richards' performance proved a catalyst for the rest of the team on the second day.
"Roy was on fire today," Mitchell said. "It was an early morning event. His win just got everybody excited."
Richards was a spark for Higgins who went on to take the crown in the men's triple jump. Higgins' leap of 50 feet, 1 1/2 inches secured him in first place over I.P. Harris of Kent State.
Not to be outdone by the men, Jezorski proved that she is a top competitor with a commanding victory in the women's one-mile race.
"Jen, I think felt like she had a really good chance at winning the one mile," Mitchell said. "She has been strong and confident. She went out and took the lead from the gun and led all eight laps. It was pretty much her race the whole way."
Jezorski's time of 4:53.39 gave her the victory, just ahead of Jill Scully of Ball State who finished with a time of 4:54.52.
The Bulls, along with their four MAC titles, grabbed three second-place finishes.
Junior Dan McKenna fell short in his quest for the crown in the men's one-mile race. McKenna finished second overall with a time of 4:13.82 just behind Eastern Michigan's Corey Nowitzke who finished at 4:12.01.
McKenna's strong race was echoed in the appraisal from his coach.
"The race was not a fast pace race from the start," Mitchell said. "But, Dan closed with one of his fastest 400 meters ever. It was one of his strongest races in this caliber of an event."
Junior Jessica Lister surprised the competition in the women's pole vault. Her vault of 12 feet, 8 1/4 inches was second only to Sarah Lander of Miami (Ohio), who sprung to 13 feet, 1/4 inch.
"I think it even surprised our pole vault coach a little," Mitchell said of Lister's achievement. "But, she is a high-determination person. She's very levelheaded and focused on her task. She went out and did a great job."
The men's 4x400 meter relay team also placed second at the championships. The team of freshman Rob McRae, juniors Brian Heim and Paul Riley, and senior Bryan Weinstein finished at 3:20.16.
Overall as a team, the men's squad finished in fifth place of six teams. Eastern Michigan won the MAC team title with 171 points, followed by Kent State (134), Central Michigan (124.50), Akron (116.50), Buffalo (63) and Ohio (46).
The women placed ninth overall in the 12-team field. Akron was crowned MAC champs with 118.50 points, followed by Ball State (105), Western Michigan (75.75), Eastern Michigan (69.50), Central Michigan (61), Toledo (51.75), Kent State (46.50), Miami (46), Buffalo (41.50), Bowling Green (30.75), Northern Illinois (13.75) and Ohio (3).
The Bulls will next compete in the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America and Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships. The events begin Friday at 10 a.m. in Boston, Mass.
