LEWISTON, Maine – The Saint Joseph's College women's track & field team turned in a strong all-around performance at the Maine States' Pine Tree Classic this weekend, posting multiple scoring performances, several DIII New England qualifying marks, and strong depth across the sprints, relays, jumps, and throws.
"We brought great energy this weekend and posted strong marks throughout the meet," said Saint Joseph's head coach Mike Burleson. "It's always a good sign to see so many athletes hitting personal bests at this point in the season and really coming together as a team. We've put ourselves in a strong position heading into the conference championships, and we're looking forward to competing at home."
The Monks were led by junior Ava Smart, who placed sixth in the 200 meters in a DIII New England qualifying time of 26.59, while freshman Olivea Miller followed in eighth in a qualifying 26.80 after also hitting the DIII New England provisional standard in the 100 meters with a time of 12.90. Junior Audrey Bilodeau also contributed to a strong weekend on the track by running on Saint Joseph's third-place 4x100-meter relay and third-place 4x400-meter relay squads. In the field, junior Alexis Cowan posted a DIII New England qualifying mark of 5.10m (16' 8.75") in the long jump, while sophomore Ellie Leech led the Monks in the javelin with a seventh-place throw of 32.91m (108' 0").
SPRINTS AND RELAYS
Miller paced the Monks in the 100 meters with a 10th-place finish and a DIII New England qualifying time of 12.90. Leech followed in 13.48, Cowan posted a 13.68, and freshman Hallye King clocked 13.88. In the 200 meters, Smart and Miller both hit DIII New England qualifying standards with times of 26.59 and 26.80, respectively, while freshman Emma Jones added a 28.29 and junior Alayah Schmitz posted a 32.13. Freshman Amber Pendleton represented Saint Joseph's in the 400 meters and finished ninth in 1:03.97.
The Monks also turned in strong relay performances, placing third in the 4x100-meter relay with the quartet of Smart, Bilodeau, Jones, and Leech in 51.53 for a new program record. Saint Joseph's added another third-place finish in the 4x400-meter relay, as Smart, Bilodeau, sophomore Bella Koepsell, and Pendleton combined to run 4:13.73.
MID-DISTANCE AND DISTANCE
Koepsell led the Monks in the 800 meters with an eighth-place finish in 2:26.97, while senior Alexia Young and sophomore Cheri Willems followed in 2:39.14 and 2:39.83, respectively. In the 5000 meters, freshman Meghan Cyr placed sixth in 20:53.92 and sophomore Haley Williams finished seventh in 21:41.65, giving Saint Joseph's two scoring performances in the event.
JUMPS
Cowan produced one of the top field marks of the weekend for the Monks, reaching a DIII New England qualifying 5.10m in the long jump to place 11th overall. King added a 4.72m effort, while sophomore Olivia Bean posted 4.70m and freshman Natalie Young recorded 4.17m. Miller paced Saint Joseph's in the high jump with a clearance of 1.43m (4' 8.25"), while sophomore Ella Labrie, junior Breya Whitman, and sophomore Berkley Hutchins all cleared 1.38m (4' 6.25").
In the triple jump, Labrie and Bean both posted marks of 10.31m (33' 10"), placing 11th and 12th, respectively. Cowan added a 9.94m effort, while Whitman reached 9.23m.
THROWS
Leech led the Saint Joseph's throws group with a seventh-place finish in the javelin at 32.91m (108' 0") and also added a ninth-place effort in the shot put at 10.38m (34' 0.75"). Junior Jemima Kabangu turned in the Monks' top shot put finish, placing seventh with a toss of 10.68m (35' 0.5"), while Hutchins followed at 9.03m and junior Haley Lang reached 8.19m.
In the discus, Hutchins paced the team with a 27.78m throw, followed closely by freshman Adriana Olson at 27.43m. Leech added a mark of 24.64m, while Kabangu and freshman Grace Cunningham reached 23.40m and 23.17m, respectively. Cunningham led the Monks in the hammer throw at 32.00m (105' 0"), with Lang following at 28.24m and Olson at 26.45m. In the javelin behind Leech, Lang posted 23.57m, senior Sarah Richard-Cote threw 20.34m, and junior Selena Huot added a 19.94m mark.
FULL RESULTS
Women's 100 Meters
Olivea Miller – 12.90 (10th, DIII New England qualifier)
Ellie Leech – 13.48 (22nd)
Alexis Cowan – 13.68 (23rd)
Hallye King – 13.88 (25th)
Women's 200 Meters
Ava Smart – 26.59 (6th, DIII New England qualifier, program record)
Olivea Miller – 26.80 (8th, DIII New England qualifier)
Emma Jones – 28.29 (22nd)
Alayah Schmitz – 32.13 (30th)
Women's 400 Meters
Amber Pendleton – 1:03.97 (9th)
Women's 800 Meters
Bella Koepsell – 2:26.97 (8th)
Alexia Young – 2:39.14 (18th)
Cheri Willems – 2:39.83 (19th)
Women's 5000 Meters
Meghan Cyr – 20:53.92 (6th)
Haley Williams – 21:41.65 (7th)
Women's 4x100-Meter Relay
Smart, Bilodeau, Jones, Leech – 51.53 (3rd)
Women's 4x400-Meter Relay
Smart, Bilodeau, Koepsell, Pendleton – 4:13.73 (3rd)
Women's High Jump
Olivea Miller – 1.43m / 4' 8.25" (10th)
Ella Labrie – 1.38m / 4' 6.25" (15th)
Breya Whitman – 1.38m / 4' 6.25" (15th)
Berkley Hutchins – 1.38m / 4' 6.25" (22nd)
Women's Long Jump
Alexis Cowan – 5.10m / 16' 8.75" (11th, DIII New England qualifier)
Hallye King – 4.72m / 15' 6" (18th)
Olivia Bean – 4.70m / 15' 5" (19th)
Natalie Young – 4.17m / 13' 8.25" (25th)
Women's Triple Jump
Ella Labrie – 10.31m / 33' 10" (11th)
Olivia Bean – 10.31m / 33' 10" (12th)
Alexis Cowan – 9.94m / 32' 7.5" (19th)
Breya Whitman – 9.23m / 30' 3.5" (23rd)
Women's Shot Put
Jemima Kabangu – 10.68m / 35' 0.5" (7th)
Ellie Leech – 10.38m / 34' 0.75" (9th)
Berkley Hutchins – 9.03m / 29' 7.5" (20th)
Haley Lang – 8.19m / 26' 10.5" (26th)
Women's Discus
Berkley Hutchins – 27.78m / 91' 2" (16th)
Adriana Olson – 27.43m / 90' 0" (19th)
Ellie Leech – 24.64m / 80' 10" (24th)
Jemima Kabangu – 23.40m / 76' 9" (26th)
Grace Cunningham – 23.17m / 76' 0" (27th)
Women's Hammer Throw
Grace Cunningham – 32.00m / 105' 0" (15th)
Haley Lang – 28.24m / 92' 8" (22nd)
Adriana Olson – 26.45m / 86' 9" (24th)
Women's Javelin
Ellie Leech – 32.91m / 108' 0" (7th)
Haley Lang – 23.57m / 77' 4" (16th)
Sarah Richard-Cote – 20.34m / 66' 9" (20th)
Selena Huot – 19.94m / 65' 5" (21st)
