BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Boosted by seven overall event titles, the Elon University women’s track and field team captured the team title at the Campbell Invitational on Saturday, April 16, at the Irwin Belk Track.
Elon scored 127 points at the meet and edged out other notable programs such as Wake Forest (83) and host Campbell (76). The Phoenix had wins in the 400-meter hurdles, the 1,500-meter run, the 3,000-meter run, the discus throw, the 400-meter dash and the 4×400-meter relay on the final day of the meet.
Elyse Bierut set a new school-record in the 3,000-meter run with her time of 9:54.75 to win the race. Shelby Cuddeback was second in the event with her time of 10:02.28 – a new personal-best and second-fastest time in school history behind Bierut’s performance.
Sophomore Bryanna Hames won her second event title over the weekend as the Charlotte, N.C., native captured the discus throw crown with a 157’ 2” (47.91m). It was the third consecutive discus title that Hames has won during the outdoor season.
The Phoenix swept the podium in the 1,500-meter run as Brigid Brennan clocked a 4:38.77 to take medalist honors. Coralea Geraniotis (4:40.51) and Corey Weiss (4:42.24) were second and third, respectively, in the race. Brennan’s performance was also a meet record.
Desiree Ross won the 400-meter dash with her time of 56.23 followed by teammate Lauren Brzozowski with her time of 57.35. Katie Arbogast was fourth in the race with a time of 58.51.
Elon then took first, third and fourth in the 400-meter hurdles. Jen Esposito took medalist honors with her 58.16 while Lydia Laws was third at 1:01.89. Senior Samantha Brown was fourth overall at 1:02.47.
The Phoenix’s 4×400-meter relay team of Ross, Brzozowski, Laws and Esposito ran a 3:45.43 to win the race – the third-fastest outdoor time in school history. Elon’s 4×100-meter relay team of Simone Jackson, Esposito, Ross and Sydney Griffin was the runner-up with a time of 46.89.
Griffin was also the runner-up in the 100-meter hurdles at 13.72 while Kimberly Johansen just missed on her school-record time in the 800-meters with her 2:10.51. Johansen was also the runner-up in her race.
Griffin, Jackson and Brzozowski were third, fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 200-meter dash. Griffin clocked a time of 24.90 while Jackson was next for Elon at 25.26. Brzozowski concluded the Phoenix’s top-five finishers in the race with her 25.42.
The Phoenix closes out the outdoor regular season with its home meet, the Elon Invitational next Saturday, April 23.