PRINCETON, NJ / CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – The Monmouth University men's and women's outdoor track and field teams competed in two events this weekend and posted strong performances at the Larry Ellis Invitational and the Virginia Challenge.
Highlights from the weekend are broken down below by competition.
""We were in two high quality competitions this weekend with athletes from major conferences posting some of the best marks in the country this year, in spite of rain at both venues. At both Princeton and the University of Virginia, Monmouth was well-represented and made the most of the opportunity."
- Head Coach Joe Compagni
Virginia Challenge
- Junior Corey Murphy's fourth-place mark of 19.22m in the men's shot put is the second-best throw in school history. His mark ranks in the top-10 in the east and the top-20 of all of Division I this year. Murphy followed that performance up with a sixth-place showing in the discus (52.40m).
- The Hawks took two of the top three spots in the women's shot put, led by freshman Jordan Wildermuth (2nd – 14.54m) and Allison Taub (3rd – 14.40m). Windermuth's mark qualifies her for the U.S. Junior National Championships, to be held in California in late June.
- A season-best score of 61.40m for junior Tim Wilson, helped him take ninth in the men's hammer throw.
- Stephanie Roones hit a big 46.50m (152'7") mark in the Invitational Women's Javelin to finish 5th.
- Senior captain Faith Blamon took third in the javelin with a 42.57m toss.
- Third place in the men's hammer throw was awarded to senior captain Troy Andretta, who registered a 59.51m throw.
- Monmouth placed three men in the top-10 of the triple jump, led by Bryan Sosoo (3rd – 14.70m), Darius Howe (6th – 14.51m) and Michael Pepper (9th – 14.16m).
- Pepper also finished 10th in the long jump, behind teammate Greg Stickle, who took eighth with a 6.80m jump. Stickle also turned in an 11th place effort in the 400 hurdles (54.07).
- Kennisha Okereke (51.81m) and Alicia Hester (50.68m) secured sixth and ninth place finishes in the hammer throw.
- Freshman Pete Guerriero and junior Bryan Sosoo placed eighth and 10th in the 100 meter dash as they clocked in at 10.69 and 10.71, respectively. In the 200m race, Guerriero took fifth overall and was the second freshman with a 21.55 time.
- Rookie Dan Gilligan led all freshman and took eighth in the men's discus with a distance of 156'4"
- In the men's javelin, sophomore Mark Orlando hit 58.21m, good for fifth in the event.
- Senior Andrea Olsen's time of 1:01.25 was good for a ninth-place finish in the women's 400m hurdles.
Princeton – Larry Ellis Invitational
- Tionna Garner placed 10th overall and second among collegiate competitors in the women's 800 meter run elite with a time of 2:07.57.
-In the women's 1500m run, Jenna Cupp secured the No. 2 time in school history (4:27.08) to follow up her school-record setting performance last week.
- Senior Rachael Baker took second in the women's 3000 meter run, crossing the line in 10:02.15. Classmate Maggie Hanlon finished 10th in the same race with a time of 10:17.62.
- Chandi Piiru finished in 2:10.78 and Brianna Stratz clocked in at 2:11.20 in the 800 meter run as each qualified for the ECAC Championships.
- Senior McKenna Coakley placed fourth in the high jump, with a 1.60 meter jump.
- Domenick D'Agostino took seventh in men's 1500 meter run with a time of 4:00.18.
UP NEXT
The Hawks return to competition next weekend at two events. The Penn Relays begin Thursday and conclude Saturday in Philadelphia and the Lehigh Games are set for Friday and Saturday in Bethlehem, PA.
