Tri-captain Aly Venti '04 led the women on Friday at the Valentine Classic at Boston University, placing ninth in the 5000m run and qualifying for the NCAA Championships. She broke the 17-minute barrier, earning her the second-fastest 5k time in the country despite losing a shoe in the last four laps of the race after an opponent accidentally stepped on her heel. "The whole team is so excited for Aly and her qualifying time," said tri-captain Helen Dole '04. "To get a Nationals qualifying mark this early in the season is an amazing accomplishment."
At the same meet, Carter Hamill '05 set a new school record of 9:38.10 with her third place finish in the 3000m. Shauneen Garrahan '07 came in seventh place just behind Hamill in the same race and was able to shave five seconds off of her personal record.
The rest of the team returned to Tufts University on Saturday for the Tufts Stampede. Lyndsey Scott '06 highlighted the women's performances with her success in field events and sprints. Scott went one-three-six in the high jump, triple jump and 200m dash, respectively. Scott also contributed as the fastest leg in the winning 4x400m relay team, which also included tri-captain Monica Westin '05, Julia Rucker '06 and Ariel Haney '06. Haney also took third in the 400m dash and fourth in the high jump. Alison Rodriguez '05 placed fourth in the 3000m run, besting her personal record by more than 10 seconds and qualifying for the New England Championships.
"[Haney] had an amazing race day. Both her open 400 and 4x400 legs were very impressive," said Westin. "[Scott] and [Rucker] both had incredible legs in the 400 as well."
Although the men did not come away with any victories, they broke many personal records, while simultaneously qualifying for postseason races. Dave Schreiner '06 led the men with his fourth place finish in the 3000m, which qualified him for the Div. III New Englands and the ECACs. John Babbott '07 placed fourth in his 800m. Babbott also ran on the third-place 4x400m relay team along with Sam Hayman '07, Jon Ettinger '07 and Tim Porter '06. Hayman, Kevin O'Doherty '05 and Porter finished fifth, sixth and eighth in the 600m.
The rest of the men competed in the evening at Boston University's Fast Track Invitational. In the 1000m race, tri-captain Andrew Schneider '04 finished in 21st place, besting his personal record in a field that included elite and Div. I athletes including first-place finisher Head Coach Erik Nedeau. In the 800m, Dave Molina '05 and Jack Morgan '05 placed 27th and 29th, respectively, with Molina setting a new personal record.
"Morgan and Molina both ran great 800s at the BU meet," said Schneider. "They will both be solid runners for our relays in the upcoming championship meets."
The track team will compete again this Sunday at Div. III New Englands. While the men head north to Bowdoin College, the women will race at MIT.