ELON, N.C. – The Elon University women’s track and field team readies for another busy weekend as the Phoenix travels to Buies Creek, N.C., for the Campbell Invitational Friday through Saturday, April 15-16. Action will take place beginning at 3 p.m. on Friday at the Irwin Belk Track.
Follow the Phoenix
Keep up with the action of the Phoenix this weekend at the meet with live results accessible through the program’s schedule page at elonphoenix.com. Updates will also be provided on Twitter at the handle @elonscores and @EU_XCTF.
Outdoor Prelims
• Elon will be one of 10 teams scheduled in competition this weekend at the Campbell Invitational along with the host Camels, Wake Forest, Charleston Southern, Duke, Louisburg, Shaw, UNC Pembroke, Belmont Abbey and Mt. Olive.
• The Phoenix is scheduled to have 26 of its athletes in competition this weekend at the two-day meet. Select members of the Elon men’s cross country team will also race this weekend.
• The Phoenix holds five of the top marks or times on the Colonial Athletic Association’s Outdoor Performance list; Sydney Griffin (100-meter hurdles – 13.63), Jen Esposito (400-meter hurdles – 58.01), Tereza Novotna (3,000-meter steeplechase – 10:28.05), 4×400-meter relay (3:48.05) and Bryanna Hames (discus – 164’ 11”).
• Elon also has 11 performances that rank among the top-three in the CAA outdoor rankings.
• Both Esposito and Novotna are in the top-20 in the NCAA East Outdoor Qualifying List in the 400-meter hurdles and the 3,000-meter steeplechase, respectively.
• Junior thrower Briana O’Grady set a new personal-best in the hammer throw in her last outing at the Aggie Invitational. The South Kingstown, R.I., native had a toss of 157’ 4” (47.97m) to win the event.
• Rookie Ellie Bennett set a new personal-record in the pole vault at the Aggie Invitational, clearing the bar at 10’ 6.25” (3.21m). She’s tied for third in school history in the outdoor pole vault along with fellow frosh Nicole Karabas.
Last Time Out
The Phoenix last competed at the Aggie Invitational on April 9, in Greensboro. Elon won five event titles at the meet despite the highly windy conditions throughout the day.
Along with O’Grady’s win, fellow thrower Bryanna Hames won her second straight discus throw title with a toss of 148′ 0″ (45.11m). In the long jump, Carrie Abraham took first in the event with her leap of 17′ 9″ (5.41m) while teammate Emily Dixon was eighth at 15′ 11.75″ (4.87m). Abraham later finished third in the triple jump with a mark of 36′ 7″ (11.15m) while Jayna Coyle was fourth at 36′ 3.50″ (11.06m).
Desiree Ross won the 400-meter dash with her time of 56.93. Fellow freshman Meagan Henderson was fourth in the race after clocking a 59.82 with Katie Arbogast sixth with a 59.91. In the finals of the 100-meter hurdles, Sydney Griffin was the runner-up with her time of 13.67.
Jen Esposito won her third straight 400-meter hurdles title as the senior clocked a 1:03.63 in the race followed by Lydia Laws with a 1:05.96. The Phoenix swept the podium in the race as Samantha Brown was third at her time of 1:06.09.
On Deck
Elon hosts the Phoenix Invitational on Saturday, April 23, at the Jerry and Jeanne Robertson Track and Field Complex.