UConn continues progress and growth at Columbia Challenge

Thursday, January 24

New York, N.Y.

University of Connecticut

Columbia Challenge

UConn continues progress and growth at Columbia Challenge

1/26/2019 5:00:00 PM | Women's Track and Field

Results

NEW YORK, N.Y.—The University of Connecticut women's track and field team headed to the Big Apple to compete in the three-day Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge, beginning on Thursday, Jan. 24th. UConn took on some of the top track and field programs in the country—Albany, BYU, host Columbia, Duke, Florida State, Iona, Lehigh, LIU Brooklyn, Monmouth, Ohio State, Oklahoma, South Carolina, St. John's, Syracuse, Temple, UCLA, Villanova, and Virginia. The Huskies notched twenty-two top-20 finishes during the meet and continued their streak of setting personal bests.

"We got a lot accomplished at this meet. We put people in events that they don't usually compete in, to start honing ourselves for the championship part of the season."

-Head Coach J.J. Clark

Day One commenced with the women's pentathlon where freshman Sophie Podeszwa and sophomore Kelly Ward vied for qualifying position. The pair of Huskies had top-25 finishes in the five events that make up the pentathlon—60m Hurdles, 800m, High Jump, Long Jump, and Shot Put. Podeszwa's marks were 16th—9.62, 11th—2:39.91, 19th—1.40m, 21st—4.43m, and 22nd—7.70m. Ward's results were 23rd—10.63, 12th—2:41.79, 3rd—1.64m, 7th—5.12m, and 13th—9.42m.

Day Two started on the track with the field events to follow later in the day. UConn placed three in the prelims of the 60m Dash in Jiana Baker (24th, 7.74), Taylor Woods (25th, 7.81), and Alexis Gwynn (32nd, 7.98). Tia Strackman also competed in the prelims of the 60m Hurdles with a time of 8.78 and finish of 19th. The Distance Medley Relay team finished seventh at 11:48.48. Divine Oladipo led the way for the Huskies in the field events, taking sixth at a distance of 15.58m. Gabriella Gavalas finished just shy of the top-20 in the long jump, leaping for 4.71m. Laurel Bailey and Megan Biscoglio tied at 15th and 3.45m in the Pole Vault. Nicole Kelly and Emma Chee followed closely behind their teammates with finishes of 17th—3.45m and 19th—3.30m.

Saturday, the final day of competition, started off with the 3k in which senior Courtney Akerley and sophomore Brianna O'Brien finished 23rd—10:05.34 and 31st—10:16.42 respectively. UConn's Talia Staiger (19th, 2:15.42), Ayoola Gbolade (26th, 2:17.56), Randi Burr (32nd, 2:21.01), Regan Schiappa (34th, 2:21.23), and Allie Alsup (43nd, 2:34.05) vied for position in the 800m. Susan Aneno crossed the finish line first for the Huskies in the 400m to take 12th overall with a time of 56.42. Others competing in the 400m were Kristi Cherrington (20th, 57.36), Shanelle Colmon (24th, 57.75), Dejanee Parms (27th, 58.17), and Morocca Wiley (42nd, 1:01.79).

Winding down the meet were the 200m and Mile events. Taylor Woods and Shanelle Colmon finished several places from one another at 14th—24.74 and 17th—24.83 respectively. Baker joined her teammates with a finish of 25.50. In the Mile UConn placed themselves 16th, 19th, 20th, and 22nd respectively. Lindsey Kane was the first to finish 5:06.71, Katelyn Romanchick at 5:07.17, Sarah Leatherwood at 5:08.49, and Haley Hasty at 5:09.85.

The Huskies took top-15 finishes in the field events. Amaris Blount spearheaded UConn's efforts in the Weight Throw finishing fourth, hurling a distance of 18.59m. Chanell Botsis and Mikyla Rodger competed alongside of Blount at 5th—18.06m and 19th—15.41m. Kelly Ward (11th, 1.65m) and Julia Silverman (15th, 1.55m) also found success in the High Jump. The 2019 Dr. Sander Invitational/Columbia Challenge concluded with the 4x400m Relay where UConn's A-Team (Woods, Kat Surin, Susan Aneno, and Kristina Cherrington) took third at 3:45.64 and B-Team (Toni Brown, Hannah Parker, Baker, and Allie Alsup) finished 11th at 3:59.34.