LEWISBURG, PA – The Monmouth University track and field program sent six student-athletes to Lewisburg, PA to compete at Friday and Saturday's 24^th Annual Bison Open and came back home with a first and second place finish in the pentathlon and heptathlon, respectively.

This weekend marked the first time Monmouth has competed in the heptathlon since 2017, and the first time in the pentathlon since 2014.
 
Sophomore Annie Rutledge finished fourth or better in four of the five events, including wins in the long jump (5.23m) and 800m (2:31.54) to climb to the top spot in her pentathlon group. Her 2898 total points on Friday is the seventh-best pentathlon performance in Monmouth history.

Three of Rutledge's teammates competed in the pentathlon at the meet hosted by Bucknell University, as well. Abby Boggs registered a fourth-place finish in the table with highlights coming in the high jump (1.46m, second) and 800m (2:33.32, second). Boggs registered 2767 total points, while freshmen Hailey Guerrieri and Emma McKee also took part in the five-part event. Guerrieri's Friday night was highlighted by a first-place finish in the 60m hurdles at 9.49 seconds.

Sophomore David Strong was the runner-up in the heptathlon, which took place on both Friday and Saturday. Strong was leading through five events after wins in the 60m (7.18 seconds), long jump (6.76m), and 60m hurdles (8.72 seconds).

Strong's 4471 total points is third-best all-time in school history, and Thomas Gibbard's sixth-place finish at 4135 is also sixth-best in Monmouth history.
 
EVENT WINNERS
Pentathlon: Annie Rutledge – 2898

ALL-TIME TOP-TENS
Pentathlon: Annie Rutledge – 2898, seventh
Heptathlon: David Strong – 4471, third
Heptathlon: Thomas Gibbard – 4135, sixth
 
QUOTES
"I'm so proud of our athletes that competed in the combined events this weekend. We had some solid marks that we can build upon for the future. We haven't had any student-athletes compete in the Pentathlon/Heptathlon for a number of years. These are events that I want to be strong in. These events will be a priority for us as we enter our new conference. The athletes that competed this weekend got us off to a strong start!" – Head Coach Mike Nelson
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks just completed Day One of hosting the Monmouth Winter Classic, with Day Two beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, January 29, at the OceanFirst Bank Center.