RESULTS
When and Where: January 21, 2017 – Plymouth, N.H. (Plymouth State University)
Results: Southern New Hampshire University (115), Eastern Connecticut State University (103.5), Colby-Sawyer College (49.5), Plymouth State University (49), Regis College (27) and Lasell College (1)
Powered by seven individual event victories, the Southern New Hampshire University women's track and field program captured its second-ever championship at the Panther Invitational on Saturday at Plymouth State University.
The Penmen totaled 115 points, which outdistanced second-place finisher Eastern Connecticut State University by 11.5 points. Colby-Sawyer College checked in third with 49.5 points, while the host Panthers (49) and Regis College (27) rounded out the top-five.
Freshman Alanna Murphy (Nashua, N.H.) took home a pair of individual titles in both the 60-meter hurdles and the triple jump. In the hurdles, Murphy cruised across the finish line ahead of each of the eight finalists, and classmate Natalie Gallagher (Windham, N.H.) checked in just behind her in third. Murphy propelled herself to the triple jump crown with a 10.82-meter (35 feet, six inches) showing. Junior Maddie Bardier (Pembroke, N.H.) traveled 9.11 meters (29 feet, 10.75 inches) in her best attempt to finish third overall.
The 3000-meter run featured a trio of Penmen in the top five. Senior Laura O'Hanlon (Dedham, Mass.) led Southern New Hampshire with a first-place time of 10 minutes, 57 seconds. Freshman Jill Dieterich (Commack, N.Y.) was second in 11:22, and sophomore Ashley Dennis (Coventry, R.I.) placed fifth in 12:45.
Freshman Jill Couto (Newton Junction, N.H.) took home the 500-meter dash title, and was part of three SNHU finishers in the first six positions. Couto's time of one minute, 57 seconds was nearly two seconds faster than her closest competitor. Junior Amber Herrington (Burlington Township, N.J.) was fifth overall in 1:36 and Bardier checked in at No. 6 in 1:37.
Southern New Hampshire generated 12 points in the weight throw, as three student-athletes were in the top-10. Junior Melissa Melanson (Goffstown, N.H.) claimed the top spot with a heave of 14.30 meters (46 feet, 11 inches) to garner seven points. Sophomore Ashley Elder (Bristol, Conn.) slotted in second with a 13.36-meter (43 feet, 10 inches) toss, and freshman Leah Carfagno (Billerica, Mass.) was 10th after a throw of 7.31 meters (23 feet, 11.75 inches).
Freshman Madison Brand (Valhalla, N.Y.) was the winner of Saturday's mile run, which she completed in 5:28. She was three seconds ahead of the second place finisher and nearly 20 seconds better than third. The final event champion on Saturday was the Penmen 4x800-meter relay team. Comprised of Dieterich, Brand, Couto and Bardier, Southern New Hampshire grabbed seven points with a time of 10:31. The Penmen topped ECSU by 11 seconds and Plymouth State by more than 30.
The Penmen had a strong showing in the 200-meter dash as five student-athletes were in the top-10 of the event. Graduate student Gitara King (Manchester, N.H.) led the way in 29.78 seconds to finish fifth, while Gallagher followed in seventh at 30.05. Senior Skyler Shugrue (Worcester, Mass.) was eighth after crossing the line in 30.44, and sophomore Sydney Blais (Pascoag, R.I.) finished ninth in 30.55. Freshman Savannah Reinitzer (Litchfield, N.H.) slotted in at No. 10 in 30.56, and junior Taylor Downs (West Lebanon, N.H.) rounded out the Penmen contingent in 36.60.
Four SNHU student-athletes earned top-10 placings in the 400-meter dash. Murphy finished third overall in 1:06, while Blais zipped in next at 1:08. Reinitzer's time of 1:10 was good enough for eighth before King clocked an official time of 1:11 to finish No. 10. Shugrue narrowly missed out on the top-10 with a time of 1:12 to check in at No. 11, and Gallagher was right behind her in 1:15.
Murphy, Shugrue, King and Blais also had top-10 performances in the 60-meter dash on Saturday. Murphy earned a third-place result in 8.68 seconds, ahead of Shugrue's fifth-place time of 8.77. King was just behind Shugrue in 8.77 seconds, before Blais' eighth-place showing of 8.88.
Herrington led four Penmen in the top-seven of Saturday's long jump. Herrington traveled 4.62 meters (15 feet, 2 inches) to finish second, missing out on the top spot by .07 meters (2.75 inches). Shugrue was fifth with a 4.46-meter (14 feet, 7.75 inches) launch, and Blais duplicated the effort and wound up sixth. Junior Ashlee Carper (Plattsburgh, N.Y.) landed at a distance of 4.30 meters (14 feet, 1.25 inches), and was seventh overall.
Elder posted a second-place finish in the shotput to lead Southern New Hampshire. Her throw of 11.78 meters (38 feet, 7.75 inches) was .07 meters (2.75 inches) off the No. 1 spot. Senior Melissa Handy (Durham, Conn.) launched the shot put 10.60 meters (34 feet, 9.5 inches) to garner a top-five placement, while freshman Jalisa Allen (Foxboro, Mass.) was No. 11 with a 9.26-meter (30 feet, 4.75 inches) showing. Senior Sahara Brown (Center Barnstead, N.H.) followed with a throw of 8.95 meters (29 feet, 4.5 inches), and Carfagno was right behind her at 8.18 meters (26 feet, 10 inches). Junior Yawa Agbenowossi (Manchester, N.H.) and Carper rounded out the Penmen participants with throws of 7.63 meters (25 feet, .5 inches) and 7.26 meters (23 feet, 10 inches), respectively.
Notes:
- The Southern New Hampshire 4x200-meter relay team of Blais, Shugrue, King and Murphy was second in 1:55.48.
- O'Hanlon finished third overall in the 800-meter run in 2:36, while Dennis finished the event in 2:59.
- Herrington also took part in the high jump, and her successful attempt at 1.42-meter (4 feet, 7.75 inches) was good enough for third.
What's Next:
The Penmen return to action on Saturday (Jan. 28) when they travel to the Tufts Stampede at 10 a.m.
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