Campus notes: Area grads help UT team to cross-country milestone

10/7/2009

Two local high school graduates have helped the University of Toledo women's cross country team reach another milestone.

The Rockets have matched their highest regional ranking in program history at No. 4 in the Great Lakes region. The team also received six votes in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association national poll, ranking it 36th in the country.

This is the first time that UT is receiving votes in the national rankings since the preseason poll of 2004, when the Rockets received four votes and were also ranked No. 36.

The highest regional ranking for the team was in 2001 and 2002, when they were also ranked fourth.

Sophomore Emma Kertesz, a Central Catholic grad, placed 10th with a time of 22:26.6 as the sixth UT runner to cross the finish line in the Rockets' team victory at the Colonial Inter-Regional Challenge in Williamsburg, Va., on Sept. 26.

Sophomore Danielle Thomas, an Anthony Wayne grad, finished 29th at the meet with a time of 23:27.1.

Sophomore Ari Fisher of Lebanon, Ohio, won her second meet of the season, completing the 6K course in 21:04.3. She also took first place in UT's dual meet against Bowling Green State University at Ottawa Park on Sept. 4, the only other meet the team has competed in this fall.

Other local runners on the UT roster include freshman Holly Baird (Wauseon), sophomore Liza Cholin (Clay), junior Maureen Gibbs (Whiteford), freshman Erica Lipstraw (Oak Harbor), and sophomore Amanda Mannon (Clay).

Youth football programs with players in grades three through eight are invited to the Glass Bowl every Thursday from 5:30-6 p.m. in October to receive instruction from UT coaches and players.

For more information and to RSVP, contact Andy Boyd at andrew.boyd3@utoledo.edu.

Owens Community College men's baseball alumni game, which was originally scheduled for Oct. 4, will now be Oct. 10.

The exhibition game will begin at 11 a.m. and will be at the College's Baseball Complex on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. Admission to the exhibition game is free.

For more information, call 567-661-7936 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, ext. 7936.

Adrian College's Roxanne Duran set a career-high with 20 digs as the Bulldogs had 78 digs as a team in a recent match against Alma which the Bulldogs lost.

Duran, a sophomore from Springfield High School, is majoring in criminal justice. Duran has been a bright spot for the Bulldogs volleyball team, struggling with a 2-9 overall mark and a 1-6 record in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association.