The University of Rhode Island women’s track and field team traveled to Boston University on Friday to compete in the BU John Thomas Terrier Classic, where Rhody set multiple school records.
“We honestly had a phenomenal meet,” URI Head Coach Laurie Feit-Melnick said. “When anyone goes to a meet and they either get a [personal best] or cracks the top-10, it’s a good thing.”
A handful of competitors put up personal best times on Friday, including third-year Lily Saul, who set a new personal best in the 800-meter event with a time of 2:05.40. In the process, Saul broke a five-year-old school record, held by former Rhody star Lotte Black.
“I felt really good because this was a record I wanted to get since I was a freshman,” Saul said. “And I really look up to [Black] because she was an All-American at URI, so it means a lot.”
This feat came just a couple weeks after Saul was named Co-Track Performer of the Week by the Atlantic 10 after she won the 1000-meter at the University of Massachusetts Flagship Invitational. Saul’s recent performances have caught the eye of Feit-Melnick who was impressed with Saul’s record breaking run.
“It was a great run to be honest, she ran really, really well this past weekend,” Feit-Melnick said. “She’s just a great team person and she’s got so much potential, it was a really solid time this past weekend for her to run.”
Rhody’s success in Boston didn’t stop there, with third-year Odette van Wyk breaking a staggering 21-year-old school record in the 200-meter event with a time of 24.59. The South African native is just getting started with her new team after recently transferring from Idaho State University before the start of the spring season.
“We’re blessed to have [van Wyk], she’s having a great year so far,” Feit-Melnick said. “There’s so much potential and we’re looking forward to the journey of [van Wyk and Saul].”
Other notable standouts for the Rams on Friday include a pair of first-years; Macy Daigle and Nyah Santana both finished second in their respective events. Daigle tied her personal best in the high jump with a jump of 5’7”, while Santana ran a 25.00 in the 200-meter event.
“Our team looks really solid this year, we’re in contention to win the [Atlantic 10] as a team, or place really high,” Saul said. “So it’s great that we have motivated freshmen who want to do well.”
Fifth-year Sydney Federico finished seventh in the 400-meter event with a time of 55.49, another personal best time. This time makes her the fourth-fastest individual in the 400 in URI women’s track and field history.
“Federico is a fifth-year pharmacy student and captain,” Feit-Melnick said. “And she had a phenomenal meet, both [personal bests] in the 200 and in the 400.”
Also this weekend, the URI women’s track and field team sent a number of throwers to Harvard University for the Harvard Invitational. Fifth-year thrower Megan Wood finished in third place in the championship shot put event.
Up next, the women’s track and field team are hosting the URI Coaches Invitational on Saturday at 11 a.m., which will also be Senior Day. Senior Day processions will begin at Mackal Field House at 10 a.m. for the men’s team, and 10:15 a.m. for the women’s, with appearances from URI President Marc Parlange and athletic director Thorr Bjorn.