The University of Rhode Island women’s track and field team sent seven athletes to the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston, while the rest didn’t have to travel far for the URI Coaches Invitational meet at Mackal Field House on Saturday.
Eleven fourth-year athletes were honored before the meet for senior day, including sprinters, long-distance runners and field athletes. Rhode Island placed first in nine different events and had multiple finishes in the top ten.
“It was nice to recognize the seniors,” URI Women’s Track and Field Head Coach Laurie Feit- Melnick said. “We did have a meet full of quite a few personal bests, season best marks, New England and ECAC qualifying marks. It was definitely nice to be home.”
Many field athletes had outstanding performances. Second-year jumper Lily MacDonald won the long jump with a 17’ 8.25” finish. Second-year jumper Macy Daigle finished first in the high jump with a 5’5” finish. Third-year jumper Josie Allred and fourth-year Alexis Zarr finished tied for third in the high jump with a jump of 5’1”.
Rhode Island jumped high and far; five rams were in the top 10 of the pole vault, including second-year pole vaulter Allison Vigue, who finished first after clearing 12’ 3″. Third-year pole vaulter Olivia Priest finished third at 12’.
“Vigue had a huge [personal best] and won the pole vault,” Feit-Melnick said. “Some really good, solid performances at home.”
Rhode Island had a good day in the throwers circle with two finishers in the top 10 of the shot put. Third-year thrower Alyssa Yankee finished fourth in 42’ 9.5”, and first-year thrower Elizabeth Dankwa finished tenth in 37’ 6.75”.
Sprinter opportunities were limited, but successful when they arose. Third-year sprinter Abigail Colella came in first place in the 400-meter dash in 57.13 seconds.
“Abby had a good run to win the 400,” Feit-Melnick said. “It’s a solid mark on a flat track.”
Third-year Joyce London, second-year Sydney Haik, third-year Laurel Filiberto and first-year Greta Dahl as a group won the 4×400-meter relay with a time of 4:00.50.
Distance runners had a good day as well. Second-year runner Kelsey Wolff finished first in the 800-meter run in 2:15.59, a season-best time in New England.
The Rams also held the top four spots in the 3,000-meter race. Second-year runner Gwen McCloughan held the top spot at 10:24.95, Third-year runner Hailey LaRosa finished second in 10:26.47, fifth-year runner Sofia Piccone placed third in 10:28.15 and first-year runner Jordan Hadfield finished fourth.
Piccone also finished second in the mile in 5:14.34, seconds behind her came Hadfield in 5:14.62 and McCloughan in 5:16.28.
Rhode Island had the top three finishers in the 1,000-meter run. Fourth-year Leyla Kvaternik finished first in 2:58.45, second-year Alison Pankowicz placed second in 2:59.75 and fourth-year Olivia Skapczynski rounded out the top three in 3:00.42.
The distance athletes worked together as a group as well, the 4×800-meter relay team of Wolff, Kvaternik, Pankowicz and first-year runner Keaney Bayha finished first with a 9:44.89.
In Boston, fourth-year runner Lily Saul won her heat of the 800-meter run in 2:04.57, lowering her program record with a new personal best. Saul ranks fourth in the Northeast Regional and 37th overall in the NCAA in the 800. First-year Reagan Garibaldi finished third in the 200-meter dash in 24.88 seconds.
Though the Rams performed well, the team is about one week away from the Atlantic 10 Championship, taking place on Feb. 27 and Feb. 28 at the Virginia Beach Sports Center.
“We’re looking forward to running some great relays, and obviously, in [the] Atlantic 10 [Championship], it takes points in every event to try and get people back to the finals, whether in the throws, running events or finals,” Feit-Melnick said. “We’re really excited.”
The Rams will stay in Rhode Island and return to action Saturday with a small number of athletes at the Brown Invitational, hosted at Brown University’s Olney-Margolies Athletic Center in Providence. However, most of the athletes will not compete for two weeks before leaving for the A-10 Championship.
