HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Elon University women’s track and field team had another strong weekend as the Phoenix continued its outdoor season at the JMU Invitational on Saturday, April 17, at Sentara Park.
Melissa Anastasakis set a new school-record in the 3,000-meter run as the Hillsdale, Ontario, native clocked a time of 9:48.72 in the race to break Elyse Bierut’s five-year record of 9:54.75. She would end up winning the event title for the Phoenix.
Freshman Kayla Clark took gold in the 100-meter hurdles, winning the race with a time of 14.46. Teammate Nuria Menendez Sanchez was fifth overall with her time of 15.30. In the 400-meter run, Aliya Barrows was third overall with a personal-best time of 57.33 while Piper Jons also finished in the top-10 with a time of 57.98.
In the 3,000-meter steeplechase, Hannah Preeo won the race as the junior had a time personal-best time of 10:43.85, setting a meet record. Hannah Miller was second overall to Preeo, running a time of 11:03.80 – also a new personal-best. Lizzie Vinci also garnered a top-10 finish in the event with her time of 11:49.56.
Bridget Kanaley was second in the 5,000-meters, coming across the finish line with her personal-record time of 17:33.07. Rachael Wesolowski was sixth at her time of 17:53.68. Scolasticah Kemei was the runner-up in the 1,500-meters, racing a time of 4:36.86 overall. Alexandra DeCicco was fifth with her time of 4:38.64.
Madison George nearly matched her personal-best in the pole vault as the sophomore cleared the bar at 3.80m. That mark was good for second overall in the event.
In the discus throw, Kathleen Collins was second overall with a throw of 45.01m with Lauryn Carlton finishing fifth at 43.06m. Charlotte Bradsher was the runner-up and the top collegiate thrower in the hammer throw, tossing a distance of 51.74m.
Grace Dieleman was sixth overall in the javelin with a personal-best throw of 34.63m while Carlton was third overall in the shot put at her heave of 13.02m. In the long jump, Elyse King and Alyssa Zee took the second and third positions with jumps of 5.51m and 5.47m, respectively. King was also the top jumper in the triple jump, landing fourth overall with her mark of 11.40m.
Elon’s 4×400-meter relay team of Barrows, Milly Heinbaugh, Tessa DiPierdomenico and Jons finished as the runner-up with a time of 3:54.70. Stephanie Lair set a new personal-best in the 800-meters as Elon’s top finisher in the race as the junior ran a time of 2:12.69 and was sixth overall.
The Phoenix’s 4×100-meter relay quartet of Alyssa Zee, Alex Tudor, Moira O’Malley and Jons was fourth overall with a time of 47.43. That time moves the group on the program’s top-10 performance list.
On Deck
Elon closes out its regular season next weekend, April 23-24, at the Aggie Classic hosted at North Carolina A&T.