MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – For the first time this season, the West Virginia University track and field team hits the road to compete at the YSU College Invitational, on Friday, Jan. 18, in Youngstown, Ohio.
 
Competition at Youngstown State's Watson and Tressel Training Site (WATTS) is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m.
 
"As with most programs around the country, we'll see more of our team on the track each week," WVU coach Sean Cleary said. "We've come back from the holidays and have been training well for a few weeks now, so we should see six or seven new faces this weekend and will look to add two or three each weekend after that.
 
"Going to Youngstown makes it a quick meet for us. We're looking forward to getting on a big, 300-meter track and find out where we are."
 
Friday marks the second consecutive season WVU will compete at the YSU College Invite. The Mountaineers will be one of 29 team competing in the meet this weekend, joining Alderson Broaddus, Allegheny, Ashland, Bethany, Central State, Cleveland State, Carlow, Clarion, Duquesne, Edinboro, Georgian Court, Geneva, Lake Erie, Malone, Mount Union, Ohio, Pitt, Pitt-Johnstown, Point Park, Robert Morris, Seton Hill, Slippery Rock, Walsh, Washington & Jefferson, West Virginia Wesleyan, Wheeling Jesuit, Windsor and Youngstown State.
 
Last season, the Mountaineers earned a pair of victories, a second-place finish and two third-place showings in Youngstown. Amy Cashin won the women's 800 meters with a time of 2:10.76, while Maggie Drazba took the women's mile in 4:49.92.
 
Then-freshman Ellie Gardner posted a mark of 3.86 meters (12 feet, 8 inches) in the women's pole vault, finishing in second place, ahead of Sara Finfrock, who placed third in the event with a 3.86-meter performance.
 
Sarah Wills also recorded a third-place finish at last year's meet, finishing two spots behind Drazba in the mile. Wills crossed the finish line in 4:59.86.
 
Last time out, WVU collected nine total victories at the season-opening Marty Pushkin Classic, on Jan. 11, at the WVU Shell Building. Redshirt senior Madelin Gardner proved to be the highlight of the evening, as she won the women's pole vault with a jump of 4.30 meters (14 feet, 1.25 inches). The mark is the best in the Big 12 and tied for sixth-best nationally so far this season.
 
Freshman Margaret Rymer, who was one of several Mountaineers to make their collegiate debuts at the meet, won the women's 60-meter hurdles in 10.00, while freshman Peter-Gay McKenzie won the women's 60-meter dash in 7.78.
 
Rymer and McKenzie also teamed with sophomore Michaela Ashford and McKenna Smith to win the women's 4x400-meter relay with a time of 4:06.56.
 
Redshirt junior Faith Penny won the women's high jump at the Pushkin Classic, recording a mark of 1.62 meters (5 feet, 3.75 inches). Freshman Sada Wright won the women's weight throw with a mark of 13.59 meters (44 feet, 7 inches).
 
Additionally, redshirt freshmen Hayley Jackson (3,000 meters) and Marianne Abdalah (mile) and freshman Mikenna Vanderheyden (800 meters) all won events while running unattached.
 
The YSU College Invite marks the second in a stretch of seven consecutive weekends WVU will compete.
 
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