ELON, N.C. – In its first home meet of the year and the outdoor regular-season finale, the Elon University women’s track and field team had 13 event titles to highlight the Phoenix Invitational on Saturday, April 23, at the Jerry and Jeanne Robertson Track and Field Complex.
The Phoenix 4×100-meter relay team of Simone Jackson, Jen Esposito, Desiree Ross and Sydney Griffin clocked a new school-record time of 46.52 in the race while taking medalist honors. Later, the Phoenix’s 4×400-meter relay team also won its event as the quartet of Ross, Lauren Brzozowski, Lydia Laws and Esposito clocked a 3:50.45 in its race.
In the triple jump, Carrie Abraham and Jayna Coyle were first and second, respectively, in the event. Abraham set a new personal-record with her leap of 12.26m while Coyle also established a new career-best with her leap of 12.08m. Abraham also took medalist honors in the long jump with her mark of 5.82m.
New personal-records were also set in the 3,000-meter steeplechase as Corey Weiss clocked an 11:10.49 to take first. She also moved into the program’s top-five list all-time in school history in the event. Carolyn Hopkins was the runner-up with her time of 11:14.93 – a new personal-record for the Buffalo, N.Y., native.
Griffin won the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.42 while Jackson was third at 24.89. Ross also set a new season-best time of 24.95 as she was fourth overall. Ross took medalist honors in the 400-meter dash with her time of 55.47. Brzozowski was the runner-up with a time of 56.80. Griffin was also first in the 100-meter hurdles with her time of 13.71.
Shelby Cuddeback was the first runner overall to cross the finish line in the 1,500-meter run with her time of 4:40.23, a new personal-best for the Attleboro, Mass., native. Senior Kaitlin Snapp was fourth overall in the race with her time of 4:46.35 – also a new personal-best. The duo were second and third in the 5,000-meter run with Cuddeback finishing as the runner-up with her time of 18:11.51 while Snapp ran a 18:24.89.
Esposito won her fourth straight 400-meter hurdles title after she ran a 58.51 followed by Laws at 1:01.70 in second. Senior Samantha Brown was third with a time of 1:03.50. In the high jump, Megan Kirschling won the event as the senior cleared the bar at 1.70m.
In the throws, Bryanna Hames won the discus title with her toss of 48.72m. She later finished as the runner-up in the shot put with her heave of 13.62m. Briana O’Grady was the winner in the hammer throw with her mark of 47.82m. Emily Dixon was third in the javelin throw with a heave of 33.79m.
The Phoenix will return to its home track on May 6-7 as Elon hosts the 2016 Colonial Athletic Association Outdoor Championships.