The University of Rhode Island women’s track and field team competed in dual events over the weekend, traveling to both Providence College and the University of Connecticut.
Rhody sent team members to the Friar Invitational hosted by PC on Friday and the Northeast Challenge at UConn on Friday and Saturday, where URI finished 13th of 19 teams. For this unique dual-meet weekend, it was important for the coaching staff to decide which players to send to which events, according to URI Head Coach Laurie Feit-Melncik.
“It’s a lot of juggling, just trying to figure out what’s the [best] meet to put people in,” Feit-Melnick said. “It’s just trying to figure out what’s the best and who’s healthy and who needs the weekend off and who can race.”
Third-year Sophia Piccone was one of the bright spots for URI this weekend, running a new personal best in the 5000 meter event at the Friar Invitational. With a run time of 17:26.22, Piccone slotted to number seven in URI’s all-time individual 5000 meter times.
“It feels great, this season I’ve focused a lot on my pre-race preparation and being confident going into each of my races,” Piccone said. “So going into this race I was pretty confident in myself and I am really happy about how it turned out.”
Piccone’s time on the women’s track and field team at URI has been very up and down due to multiple injuries, including IT band issues during last season’s cross country, she said. Having barely competed since the 2021-2022 season, this season is especially important to her.
“In practice I’ve had to work through the little things with the strength exercise and rehab and recovery,” Piccone said. “So I think the rehab and recovery piece is huge and I think all of those pieces together kind of build so that when I do toe the line I’m able to be confident in my training.”
Rhody’s weekend success did not end with just Piccone. Fifth-year Hannah O’Connor earned a personal record of her own in the mile event with a time of 4:55.0. At the Northeast Invitational, fourth-year Caroline Larkin set a new personal best in the pole vault, earning her the number six spot in URI’s all time pole vaulting records.
“Everyone pushes each other at practices and we all have each other’s backs in workouts,” Piccone said. “Then when we get to meets just to have everyone cheering for each other, even though we were a very split team this weekend between all the different meets, we all know that we are cheering for each other wherever we may be.”
Up next, the team will travel to Worcester, Massachusetts on April 20 to compete in the Holy Cross Invitational. Feit-Melnick said she is excited by the prospect of having the team back together to compete at the same event.
“Hopefully just having everyone there and hopefully the weather’s good,” Feit-Melnick said. Maybe we could [place] top three, that would be great. Sometimes we don’t always know what teams are going to be there, but not that we are really focusing on that. We’re just focusing on having a great team meet.”
In last year’s edition of the Holy Cross Invitational, the URI women’s track and field team finished in first place. Rhody will look to replicate that success again on April 20.