Mountaineers Take Five at WVU Open

Saturday, January 13

Morgantown, W.Va.

10:00 a.m.

West Virginia University

WVU Open

January 13, 2018 06:29 PM | Track & Field

By: Joe Mitchin

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University track and field team returned to action by collecting five event wins at the WVU Open, on Saturday, at the WVU Shell Building.

RESULTS

WVU placed first in three running events and two field events at the meet. Additionally, the team combined for five second-place finishes in the team's first competition since Dec. 2.

"The hope is always that you emerge from Christmas, get back into competition and find that your kids worked hard over winter break," WVU coach Sean Cleary said. "What we learned today was that many of our kids had very successful winter-break training, and that we can actually get some momentum going based off today."

The Mountaineers were joined by Davis & Elkins, Frostburg State, Hagerstown Community College, Pitt-Johnstown, Salem International, Washington & Jefferson, Waynesburg and the WVU Track Club at Saturday's meet, the first of the new year for WVU.

Freshman McKenna Smith claimed the Mountaineers' first win of the day in the women's 500 meters. The Bridgeport, West Virginia, native earned a time of 1:20.14 for the victory.

Then, freshman Michaela Ashford recorded a second-place finish in the women's long jump (4.88m), before taking fifth in the women's 60-meter dash (8.16).

Redshirt freshman Kyrielle Williams was victorious in the women's high jump, registering a mark of 1.62 meters (five feet, 3.75 inches). Redshirt senior Meghan Jean-Baptiste also earned a 1.62m mark, but finished in second place due to a judge's decision.

Jean-Baptiste took home the win in the women's 60-meter hurdles, however. The Fairfax, Virginia, native finished the finals in 9.05 for the win. Jean-Baptiste also tallied a ninth-place finish in the women's shot put.

In the women's pole vault, junior Madelin Gardner's strong start to the indoor season continued as she won the event with a mark of 4.08 meters (13 feet, 4.5 inches). Senior Sara Finfrock and freshman Ellie Gardner tied for second place with a mark of 3.78 meters (12 feet, 4.75 inches). For Ellie Gardner, the performance was good for a freshman indoor school record.

"I'd have to say the pole vaulters were again the shining moments of today's meet," Cleary said. "Maddie Gardner had her second-best jump in competition, but more importantly, she got three really good shots at 4.23 (meters).

"Sara Finfrock, in her first time in uniform this year, was out there with her second- or third-best performance ever, and I fully expect her to be over four meters before the end of the winter. Then, Ellie came out and chalked up one of the finest freshman performances in school history."

From there, redshirt senior Amy Cashin cruised to a win in the women's 800 meters, running away from the competition in a time of 2:16.44.

The Mountaineers also had two representatives in the women's mile and one in the women's 3,000 meters. Freshman Marianne Abdalah claimed second in the mile (5:19.04), while redshirt sophomore Andrea Pettit finished sixth. Redshirt freshman Antigone Archer, meanwhile, took second in the 3,000 meters in a time of 10:45.18.

Saturday marked the second and final home meet of the Mountaineers' 2017-18 indoor campaign. WVU will be back in action on Friday, Jan. 19, at the YSU College Invitational in Youngstown, Ohio.

For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.