hannah-stone-main.jpg
Stone Wins High Jump Title at Va. Challenge
April 23, 2016 10:30 PM | Track & Field
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University track and field team completed a successful weekend at the Virginia Challenge in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the Jesse Owens Classic in Columbus, Ohio.
“We had a very good weekend,” said coach Sean Cleary. “Jumpers jumped far and high, vaulters cleared bars and runners ran faster. We obviously need to keep improving for us to hit our goals for the season, and I believe we can and will.
“This was our best weekend of the spring,” coach Cleary said. “Coming off of a very nice meet a week ago, I wondered how we might respond. While we still have some holes to fill, I am especially pleased that we continued to build momentum. Danique (Bryan) and Shamoya (McNeil) jumped well this weekend. Danique had her best meet since arriving at West Virginia. Maddie (Gardner) was jumping again at her lifetime best while winning the vault, and (Sarah) Finfrock sets a six-inch personal best. That group continues to develop. Megan (Yuan) had a college best in the hurdles, while (Hannah) Stone also in a winning jump narrowly missed a lifetime mark. In the distance races Megan and Savanna (Plombon) both ran themselves into consideration for the NCAA Championships.”
The Mountaineers claimed two victories, one in the high jump and one in pole vault, and added a total of five career-best times and four season-bests throughout the weekend at the Virginia Challenge.
At tonight’s competition, senior Hannah Stone won the high jump, marking a season-best of 1.74 meters. On Friday, sophomore Madelin Gardner claimed a victory in the pole vault with a cleared height of 3.90 meters to sit at No. 4 on WVU’s all-time outdoor performance list.
Tonight, freshman Danique Bryan placed seventh in the long jump invite with a season-best leap of 6.01 meters. She improved by .01 meters from her previous best set in the 2016 indoor season.
In the 100-meter hurdles, sophomore Meghan Jean-Baptiste finished in 27th with a career-best time of 14.61. She improved by .06 meters from her previous best set in the 2015 outdoor season.
In the 1,500 meters, sophomore Millie Paladino led the way for the Mountaineers as she placed 24th overall with a time of 4:25.44. Sophomore Amy Cashin finished 30th with a time of 4:26.60, followed by junior Brianna Kerekes in 43rd in 4:29.96.
“The 1,500-meter runners were solid,” coach Cleary said. “We have big goals for this group and look forward to getting back into action.”
On Friday, Gardner vaulted an outdoor career-best mark of 3.90 meters to improve .09 meters from her previous best set at this year’s Mason Spring Invitational.
As select Mountaineers competed at the Jesse Owens Classic in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday, freshman Chaqieta Robinson finished the 400-meter hurdles with a season-best time of 1:03.58. Robinson improved by .10 from her previous best set at this year’s Bison Outdoor Classic.
Sophomore Bria Welker placed 15th in the 400-meter dash with a time of 57.81.
Next weekend, the Mountaineers will compete at the 122nd running of the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from April 28-30.
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