Two WVU Wins Highlight Virginia Grand Prix

Saturday, April 28

Charlottesville, Va.

11:00 a.m.

West Virginia University

Virginia Grand Prix

April 28, 2018 09:40 PM | Track & Field

By: Joe Mitchin

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University track and field team competed at the Virginia Grand Prix, in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday, earning a pair of victories.

Results

Redshirt senior Amy Cashin won the women's 1,500 meters at Virginia's Lannigan Field, while freshman Ellie Gardner was victorious in the women's pole vault. In all, the Mountaineers posted seven top-five finishes on the day.

Cashin's win in the 1,500 meters was her second first-place finish of the week. The Werribee, Victoria, Australia, native crossed the finish line in 4:21.56. The victory came after Cashin won the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2018 Penn Relays, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Thursday night, where she posted a school-record time of 9:59.40 at the prestigious event.

"For these last few meets, we've emerged better off than what we were going in," WVU coach Sean Cleary said. "Amy, after coming off a big win at the Penn Relays, handled the double-back at Virginia as well as what we could've expected. At this point in the season, we wanted Amy to race a second time to simulate what she might see at the NCAA Championships. We're pleased with how she responded."

Joining Cashin in the 1,500 meters was redshirt sophomore Candace Jones, who took third place in 4:26.17. Redshirt sophomore Olivia Hill finished 11th in 4:38.71.

"Candace ran a fantastic race tonight," Cleary said. "I liked the way she responded against an elite field, and I continue to be impressed with Candace as she progresses forward. I also thought Olivia handled the tactics of today's race very well, and I'm excited to see how she performs over the next month."

Ellie Gardner earned a first-place jump of 3.81 meters (12 feet, 6 inches) in the women's pole vault (unseeded) on Saturday, marking the first outdoor win of her collegiate career. In the women's pole vault invitational, redshirt senior Madelin Gardner placed fourth with a jump of 4.05 meters (13 feet, 3.5 inches).

"The Gardners had another great weekend," Cleary said. "With Ellie's win in the afternoon section, it was exciting to see her jumping at 3.91 (meters). With a few more shots this season, we expect her to clear that bar, which would make her the finest freshman vaulter we've had at WVU. Maddie continues to clear four meters routinely. With a little more rest and training, she also appears ready for the Big 12 Championships."

Senior Sara Finfrock also competed in the invite section of the women's pole vault, finishing ninth with a mark of 3.75 meters (12 feet, 3.5 inches).

Junior Danique Bryan competed in a pair of events at Saturday's meet. First, she took fifth place in the women's long jump, posting a mark of 6.16 meters (20 feet, 2.5 inches).

Later on, Bryan added another fifth-place performance in the women's triple jump (12.52 meters – 41 feet, 1 inch).

"Danique took a big step forward today," Cleary said. "After not being able to complete the indoor season, we've watched Danique get better each week. It looks as if she'll qualify for NCAAs based on today's long jump. Over the next two or three weeks, we expect her to be in peak shape for the championship season."

Additionally, junior Faith Penny tied for third place in the women's high jump with a mark of 1.63 meters (5 feet, 4.25 inches). Redshirt senior Meghan Jean-Baptiste and freshman McKenna Smith joined Bryan by competing in a pair of events, as Jean-Baptiste placed 11th in the 100-meter hurdles (14.52) and 23rd in the long jump (5.12 meters – 16 feet, 9.75 inches), while Smith finished ninth in the women's 400 meters (56.11) and 11th in the women's 200 meters (24.66).

Redshirt freshman Antigone Archer capped the evening with a seventh-place finish in the women's 5,000 meters (18:24.64).

Saturday's meet marked the second time WVU has competed at Virginia this season. The team also traveled to the home of the Cavaliers last weekend, from April 20-21, to compete in the Virginia Challenge.

The Mountaineers were one of 16 Division I schools competing at the Virginia Grand Prix. Other participating schools included Duke, NC State, North Carolina, Virginia, Wake Forest and others.

Next up, WVU closes the 2018 outdoor regular season on Friday, May 4, as it travels to the Billy Hayes Invitational in Bloomington, Indiana.

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