Women’s Track and Field Competes at Virginia Invitational

Charlotte LaRoche Qualifies for NCAA Regionals in Pole Vault

04/11/04 12:22AM

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - Senior Charlotte LaRoche (Centreville, VA) qualified for the NCAA East Regionals in the pole vault as three-time defending CAA Champion William and Mary women’s track and field competed Saturday at Virginia’s Lou Onesty/Milton G. Abramson Invitational. On the last weekend to get seed times and distances for the upcoming CAA Track and Field Championships, the Tribe performed solidly, taking seventh in the meet which featured over 15 area schools. The College accumulated 41 points on the day as Virginia won its own meet with 132 points.

LaRoche qualified for the NCAA Regional and ECAC championships by clearing 12’3.5” in the pole vault, earning runner-up honors. Junior Naomi Mattos (Woodbridge, VA) also qualified for ECACs in the 400m, clocking a personal record 56.23, taking fifth place. Mattos also finished ninth in the 200m with a 25.30.

Junior Cassidy Harris (Geneva, IL) had a solid outing to lead the Tribe throwers. Harris claimed runner-up honors in the shot with a throw of 42’6.75” while also taking sixth in the hammer (140’4”) and seventh in the discus (117’9”). Sophomore Liz Hager (Max Meadows, VA) grabbed a pair of eighth-place finishes, in the hammer (132’4”) and the javelin (119’10”). Freshman Jennifer Showker (Harrisonburg, VA) claimed ninth in the shot with a distance of 38’6.75” while fellow freshman Kate Ham (Bozeman, MT) threw for 109’3” in the javelin to place 10th.

The sprinting corps enjoyed a strong day or running which saw numerous personal records fall. In the 200m, freshman Kathleen Woody (Herndon, VA) paced a career best 25.66 for 16th place. Fellow freshman Mary Whitehead (Dulles, VA) also set a personal best in the event, running a 26.03. Whitehead then set a career-best time in the 400m with a 58.81, finishing in 20th. Freshman Brenna Blevins (Pulaski, VA) likewise ran a personal record in the 400m, crossing the line in 59.53. Senior Jen Monk (Warminster, PA) ran a season-best time of 1:00.18 in the event.

Jumping up in distance, Lauren Heron (Manlius, NY) claimed sixth in the 1,500m with a 4:37.97. In the 3,000m freshman Christy Dannenberg (Reston, VA) ran a personal best of 10:50.91 while freshman Lauren Kloss (Hillsborough, NJ) clocked a career fast time in the 400m hurdles at 1:05.89.

Woody captured sixth in the long jump by leaping to 17’10.25”. Blevins claimed 10th in the high jump, clearing 5’1.75”. Sophomore Sarah McHale (Winchester, VA) took 11th in the triple jump with a season-best distance of 35’4.50”.

The 800m saw senior Kristen Monaco (Groveland, MA) and freshman Anna Parker (Charlotte, NC) set personal records, as the two ran times of 2:25.35 and 2:33.61, respectively. In the 1,500m, sophomore Loren Cutright (Montpelier, VT) ran a personal best of 4:53.22.

Women’s track and field returns to action April 16-17 when it will attempt to four-peat as conference champions.