|
Women’s Track and Field Hits ECAC Marks At UNC, JMU
Harris, Kosakowski, Henderson, 4x100m Qualify
05/08/04 11:59PM
HARRISONBURG, VA and CHAPEL HILL, NC - On the last weekend to qualify for the ECAC Outdoor Championships the members of 2004 CAA Champion William and Mary women’s track and field hit several qualification marks while competing at both the James Madison Invitational and the UNC Blue Heaven Classic. At JMU, on the first day of a two-day meet, the formidable field included Duke, George Mason, Georgetown, Richmond, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth and Wake Forest along with several other area programs. UNC hosted a one-day meet featuring athletes from Duke, N. C. State, Virginia Commonwealth, East Carolina, UNC-Wilmington, Richmond and several other regional schools.
In Harrisonburg, junior Cassidy Harris (Geneva, IL) obliterated her personal record to qualify for ECACs in the hammer, throwing for 159’8”, some nine feet farther than her pervious best. The throw placed Harris third in the event, just ahead of sophomore Liz Hager (Max Meadows, VA) who claimed fourth with a throw of 135’0”. Hager also took third in the javelin with a throw of 121’9”.
At the track at JMU, junior Jackie Kosakowski (Sauquoit, NY) showed the way with her second ECAC qualification in the 3,000m steeplechase in as many weeks. Kosakowski clocked a season-best 10:57.46 for runner-up honors in the event, finishing just ahead of three-time All-American Ali Henderson (Parkville, MO), who also qualified for ECACs in her first steeplechase race of the season with her third-place time of 10:59.08. Sophomore Karen Pulliam (North Potomac, MD) took sixth in the race with an 11:21.99
W&M enjoyed some solid performances from its distance corps in both the 3,000m and 1,500m. In the 3,000m freshman Julia Cathcart (Starkville, MS) clocked a personal record 10:13.81 for fifth while senior Maura McMahon (Westfield, NJ) finished sixth with a season-fast time of 10:22.63. In the 1,500m, freshman Meghan Bishop (Blue Bell, PA) clocked a solid 4:36.94 for seventh, just off the ECAC mark, while senior Emily Halm (Massillon, OH) finished closely behind in eighth with a 4:37.40.
At UNC, the 4x100m relay team of Mary Whitehead (Dulles, VA), junior Naomi Mattos (Woodbridge, VA), freshman Kathleen Woody (Oakton, VA), and sophomore Erica Johnson (Stephens Church, VA) again broke the ECAC qualification mark by running a 47.44, taking runner-up honors in the race. Also in Chapel Hill, Mattos just missed breaking the ECAC mark in the 400m where she paced a 56.26 for third while Whitehead ran a personal record 25.88 in the 200m.
The JMU Invitational concludes Sunday.
|