The University of Rhode Island women’s track and field team competed at the River Hawk Invitational on Friday and the ECAC Championships over Saturday and Sunday, posting strong individual and team performances throughout both.
The Rams traveled to the Track at New Balance in Boston for the River Hawk Invitational hosted by the University of Massachusetts Lowell on Friday. The event consisted of individual field events, as well as individual and relay running events.
URI, as a team, recorded four individual finishes within the top five. Its 4×400-meter relay team finished second among all schools.
“To be honest with you, we have run faster,” Rams Head Coach Laurie Feit-Melnick said. “But all in all, just a good solid performance.”
First-year Keaney Bayha finished fifth in the 3,000-meter with a time of 9:59.87. Her first-year counterpart Jordan Hadfield finished just behind in sixth place with a final time of 10:05:76.
The team also had the fifth through eighth finishers in the 500-meter. First-year Anna-Rose Merchant came in fifth, followed by first-year Keira Cleary, third-year Laurel Filiberto and second-year Sydney Haik.
Cleary and Merchant were both members of the second-place finisher 4×400-meter relay team, along with third-year Abigail Colella and fourth-year Joyce London. Cleary ran second, and Merchant anchored the squad.
“We’re blessed to have [Merchant],” Fiet-Melnick said. “She had to take a good chunk of time off this past fall. She’s really just now getting back, and she’s doing well. She is a key person for the championships. Hopefully, she’ll be a top-three finisher at A-10’s.”
The true freshman from Wales dealt with mono over the winter and missed time during the team’s buildup for this season. Now, she is back and helping the team score points in the middle distance races, both individually and as a member of relay teams.
Other highlights from the River Hawk Invitational included second-year Macy Daigle’s first-place finish in the high jump. Her best jump of 5’ 5” was good for the middle spot on the podium. Second-year Lily MacDonald finished second among all performers in the triple jump with a best jump of 37’ 8.75”. Fifth-year Kayla Clark was seventh in the 60-meter hurdles at 8.89 seconds, and third-year Madison Boucher came in 13th in the shot put at 49’ 3.5”.
Following the meet on Friday, the team’s pole vaulters stayed within city limits for the ECAC Championships at Boston University on Saturday afternoon. Third-year Olivia Priest and first-year Sarah Shipton tied for the 12th-best mark at the event, clearing 11’ 2.25” on their first attempts.
The Rams will return to Kingston next weekend for the URI Coaches Invitational. The meet begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday in Mackal Field House.
