The UB Women's Cross Country team ran away with a first place finish in the Tommy Evans Invitational on Saturday in Akron, Ohio. The Bulls beat host team Akron 29-37. Ashland came in third with 60 points and Robert Morris finished at the back of the pack with 120 points.
The women were lead by last season's MVP, senior Jenny Koeppel. Koeppel finished first in the women's 5K course, beating out 39 other runners with a completion time of 18:19.
"She ran uncontested, finishing 25 seconds ahead of second place," said Vicki Mitchell, the team's head coach. "She ran a very nice race."
The men finished third in their race with 56 points. UB's best individual place finisher was freshmen Dan Giza, who had a strong finish on the hot and hilly course at Firestone Metro Park. Giza finished the four-mile race in 21:42 to take seventh place out of 41 runners.
"He did a very nice job," Coach Mitchell said. "It was his first college race, coming in as a freshman."
The Bulls will lace up their spikes again when they return to action next Saturday at Toledo's Central Collegiate Meet, the site of this year's Mid-American Conference championship in late October.
It's customary that every year, the team responsible for organizing the MAC championship hosts a meet during the season. This serves as something of a preview for the other teams in the conference.
"It's always helpful to know what to expect, mentally and physically," Mitchell said.
For the women, it appears as though Koeppel will have the same role she had last year: carrying the load for the team.
"I expect Jenny to lead the way," Mitchell said.
Koeppel was the team's Most Valuable Runner last year, and it's looking like she is on the same track she was on just one year ago. Koeppel led the Bulls with five top 10 finishes, and was UB's top runner in every race she ran.
For the men, however, there isn't one clear-cut leader, although their standouts include junior Andy Wigton and sophomore Dan McKenna.
"For the guys, it's going to be tough," Mitchell said. "I expect Andy and Dan to have good races."
McKenna won the team's award for Top Newcomer in 2003. McKenna had a strong 2003 season for the Bulls, finishing third at the 2003 UB Open and seventh at the Tommy Evans Invitational.
Wigton also received honors last year as the team's Most Valuable Runner. He was UB's top finisher in two-thirds of the races in which he competed. He also posted the team's best time in the 8K with a time of 25:01.28 at the Paul Short Invitational.
The Bulls' only home meet is the UB Open, which is scheduled to take place on October 9 at Beaver Island State Park.
