Elon Track & Field Wins Nine Titles at Phoenix Invitational

ELON, N.C – The Elon University women’s track and field team took titles in nine events in its first home collegiate outdoor meet in nearly 10 years, the Phoenix Invitational on Saturday, April 18, at the Jerry and Jeanne Robertson Track and Field Complex.

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, the maroon and gold showcased its talent in front of its home crowd with a number of its athletes setting some new personal and season-bests. Junior Simone Jackson tied her school-record in the 100-meters with a preliminary time of 12.07 in the race. She would finish fourth overall in the finals with her time of 12.27.

Jackson took home the 200-meter dash title with a time of 25.10. Classmate Sydney Griffin was third with a time of 25.27 while Jennifer Pash was fourth with a time of 25.94. Griffin finished as the first collegiate runner in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.82 and was second overall. Samantha Brown was the top collegiate runner in the 400-meter hurdles and second overall with a time of 1:03.15.

In the 1,500-meter run, the Phoenix took the top-three spots as Shelby Cuddeback took the event crown with a time of 4:39.44. Elyse Bierut was the runner-up with a 4:40.34 time followed by a third-place finish by Jenny Gallagher at 4:42.28. Haylee Dawe crossed the finish line in first in the 5,000-meters with her time of 17:56.24.

The Phoenix 4×400-meter relay team of Pash, Jackson, Emily Dixon and Lydia Laws took first in the race with a time of 3:57.72. Elon’s 4×100-meter relay team of Jackson, Pash, Bria Turner and Sydney Griffin was second in its race with a time of 46.98.

Megan Kirschling won the women’s high jump with a cleared height of 5’ 7.25” (1.71m) while Dixon was third overall after clearing the bar at 5’ 3.25” (1.61m). Dixon followed with a title in the javelin throw with a toss of 111’ 9” (34.08m), breaking into the program’s top-five performance list. Senior Jenner Jarvis was the runner-up with a throw of 104’ 8” (31.90m).

Jayna Coyle won the triple jump event with a leap of 37’ 3.75” (11.37m) while Carrie Abraham was the runner-up in the long jump with her mark of 18’ 3.25” (5.57m).

In the throwing events, Bre’anna Warren was first in the shot put with her toss of 44’ 0.75” (13.43m) as well as the discus throw with a heave of 150’ 3” (45.81m). Briana O’Grady broke into the program’s top-five in the hammer throw with a new personal-best toss of 149’ 6” (45.57m).

Elon will next compete in its first-ever Colonial Athletic Association Outdoor Championships on May 1-2 in Williamsburg, Va.