RESULTS
When and Where: February 10, 2017 – Boston, Massachusetts (Boston University Track and Tennis Center)
Results: No Team Scoring
The Southern New Hampshire University women's track and field team combined to set 10 new personal records and finish in the top-10 amongst Division II institutions in six events on Friday, as the Penmen took part in the David Hemery Valentine Invitational at the Boston University Track and Tennis Center.
Freshman Jill Couto (Newton Junction, N.H.) turned in the strongest day for Southern New Hampshire with a personal best time and a Division II sixth-place finish in the 800-meter run, and she was a member of the 4x400-meter relay team that set a new season benchmark and was in the top-10 amongst Division II competitors. Couto zipped across the finish line in two minutes, 26.52 seconds in the 800-meter run, and the 4x400-meter relay team of Couto, junior Amber Herrington (Burlington Township, N.J.), sophomore Sydney Blais (Pascoag, R.I.) and freshman Alanna Murphy (Nashua, N.H.) totaled a time of 4:10.52. The relay team topped its previous season best by 12.78 seconds.
Murphy also notched a top-10 Division II finish in the 60-meter hurdles, as she led a trio of Penmen in the event. Murphy cruised in with a time of 9.67 seconds, which was No. 54 overall. Freshman Natalie Gallagher (Windham, N.H.) was next in for Southern New Hampshire in 10.01 seconds, and junior Ashlee Carper (Plattsburgh N.Y) posted a personal record of 10.26 seconds to round out the Penmen contingent.
The one-mile run witnessed three new personal bests by Southern New Hampshire student-athletes and an additional top-10 DII finish. Freshman Jill Dieterich (Commack, N.Y.) set a new personal record in five minutes, 24.21 seconds to finish No. 10 in Division II, and her time was 10.79 seconds faster than her previous best. Sophomore Ashley Dennis (Coventry, R.I.) trounced her previous fastest time by 10.18 seconds, as she clocked an official time of 5:44.53. Junior Maddie Bardier (Pembroke, N.H.) also notched a new PR with a performance of 5:57.11.
Three more personal bests were set in the 200-meter dash. Herrington was the first Penmen to cross the line with a new personal record of 27.09 seconds. Senior Skyler Shugrue (Worcester, Mass.) turned in a personal best of 27.61 seconds, before graduate student Gitara King (Manchester, N.H) and Blais followed with times of 27.84 seconds and 28.03 seconds, respectively. Gallagher finished in 28.35 seconds, which was 1.35 seconds faster than her previous personal record.
The field events saw each Southern New Hampshire competitor finish within the top-11 Division II positions. Sophomore Ashley Elder (Bristol, Conn.) turned in highest field finish with an eighth-place Division II showing in the shot put, as her top throw traveled 11.06 meters (36 feet, 3.5 inches). Junior Melissa Melanson (Goffstown, N.H.) posted a top-10 DII finish in the weight throw with a heave of 13.04 meters (42 feet, 9.5 inches), and Murphy wrapped up the field events with a triple jump performance of 10.40 meters (34 feet, 1.5 inches), which was good enough for No. 11 in Division II.
Notes:
- Freshman Madison Brand (Valhalla, N.Y.) set a new personal record in the 3000-meter run in 11 minutes, 6.16 seconds.
- The David Hemery Valentine Invitational consists of NCAA Division I, II and III institutions, as well as club teams, individual competitors and junior/community colleges.
- The Hemery Valentine Invitational concludes on Saturday with the men's competition.
What's Next:
Southern New Hampshire is back in action on Saturday (Feb. 18) when it heads to the Northeast-10 Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston.
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