Meet the Bulls

It's a great thing when you can keep in touch with one of your role models from high school, but how about having that person come to your school to be your coach in college?

UB's head cross country coach Vicki Mitchell might be the motivation that allows Jenny Koeppel to run as well as she does. Mitchell was also an Amherst graduate and that has made the transition to running for UB easier for Koeppel.

"I decided on UB and she got to be my coach, it was a huge deal for me. I was really excited and pumped up," said Koeppel.

The Cross-Country Superstar recently earned Second-Team All-MAC, after finishing ninth out of 104 runners at the MAC Cross Country Championships. The experience she gained stems from the fact that she started out early in the sport.

Jenny had been a dancer since she was three years old, but when she got to the seventh grade a few teachers said that she should try cross country.

"Once I entered high school and it really started to get a little more competitive for me, that is when I started realizing that I really liked running. My times in high school were in the 19 minute range for the 5K."

Her times in college are amazing. She recently hit the sub-17 minute mark, and her accomplishments this year include two wins (UB Open, William and Mary Invite) and one second place finish (Tommy Evans Invite).

During the summer she also continues to train hard. She likes entering a few road races but she says it is just for fun.

"Over the summer a bunch of us will do them. When we're in season we don't do them as much except for like a Linda Yalem run where we'll come and show support, but what I do over the summer is enter races to see how well my training is progressing."

"During the week I usually do more geared toward the lower mileage, like most cross country runners. I do a lot of cross training to make up for those miles. I'll be doing cross training at the gym and in the afternoon is when I'll be doing my workouts."

Jenny's future plans include becoming a high school math teacher and she hopes to enter a triathlon. She also wants to dethrone defending Buffalo News Runner of the Year Allison Carr.

"I ran against her at the Empire State Games, the road race. She was the one I was shooting for, but she was just out of reach. But hopefully now my training is better."

One of her superstitions is that she has to run each race with a blue ribbon in her hair, so if you go out to a meet see if you can spot it.

Five Random Questions

1. Do you run to classes?

No, I'm sorry, I don't run to my class. I'm not much of a runner with a backpack on.

2. What is your favorite cereal?

Bran Flakes and Frosted Mini Wheats.

3. What is your greatest fear?

I think its probably heights when my feet are not touching anything. I just remember doing high ropes exercises.

4. Who is your favorite UB football player?

Umm. Number 20, I'm just going to pull out a number here. I do have to give a shout out to the football players though because we share the stadium with them. They're all good.

5. Which show on TGIF was the best? Family Matters, Boy Meets World or Step by Step?

YES! Boy Meets World Definitely.