Elon Track and Field Caps Weekend at Coastal Carolina Invitational

CONWAY, S.C. – Highlighted by freshmen Sydney Griffin and Megan Kirschling breaking a couple of school records, the Elon track and field completed action in its first outdoor meet of the season at the Coastal Carolina Invitational today, March 9. Griffin and Kirschling both set new program marks in the 100-meter hurdles and the high jump, respectively, at the Doug Shaw Stadium.

The Phoenix took home two titles on the day with Kirschling and Charlise Morgan winning the high jump and shot put events. Overall, the maroon and gold won four event crowns in its 2013 outdoor debut this weekend.

“We had another good day today,” said Phoenix head coach Mark Elliston. “I’m really happy with how everyone performed; had a lot of personal-bests and some school records broken today.”

Kirschling cleared the bar at 5’7” (1.70m) to set the new program-record in her first collegiate outdoor meet. Also making an impressive outdoor debut this weekend was Griffin as the Marietta, Ga., native set a new school-record in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.13 and finishing as the runner-up.

“Megan and Sydney were just spectacular this weekend,” said Elliston. “To see them go ahead and perform the way that they did was pretty exciting. Being the competitors that they are, I think we’re going to see great things from them as the season moves on.”

Morgan had a heave of 43’8.50” (13.32m) in the shot put to win individual medalist honors. Teammate Kimberlyn Holt was fifth with a toss of 40’1.25”(12.94m).

Jennifer Pash finished in the top-10 of the 400-meter dash after clocking a time of 58.71. In the 800-meter run, Ellie Taff was the third runner to cross the line with a time of 2:17.43. Tereza Novotna joined Taff in the top-10 of the race with a time of 2:23.03. Emily Tryon was the top finisher for the Phoenix in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:42.39, fifth overall.

The 4×100 relay team of Bria Turner, Kayleigh Birks, Simone Jackson and Griffin finished as the runner-up in the race with a time of 46.87, the second fastest on the all-time performance list at Elon.

The track and field team also had a few members compete in the men’s distance races today. James Stevenson ran a time of 8:51.37 in the 3,000-meter run, the third fastest on the Elon men’s outdoor performance list.

The squad will travel and compete at the Wake Forest Open on March 15-16 in Winston-Salem, N.C.