taylor johnson
Sports

Track and Field Make Strides in Three-Day Weekend

taylor johnsonThe Monmouth track and field team ran at the Penn Relays and the Lehigh Games, with many Hawks winning events throughout the three days.

On the first day of Penn Relays senior captain Taylor Johnson won the college women’s discus with a throw of 170’9.25”. Her throw breaks the school record of 167’9.75” which she set by winning the Northeast Conference Championships in 2013, and is one of the top throws in the East this year. 

“It felt great to hit a season best and solidify a spot for NCAAs,” Johnson said “There were a lot of girls in my flight who’ve hit great marks in the past, I was excited to compete against such tough competition.” 

Johnson moved into the lead on her fifth throw, winning the event by seven inches. Johnson’s day was not done as she went on to finish 11th in the college women’s hammer with a 167’1” throw, and also hit 42’6” in the college women’s shot put.

“We had a few events where we didn’t execute as well as we should have, but Taylor had a tremendous day and our women’s 4×400 did an excellent job as well,” said Head Coach Joe Compagni on MU’s opening day at the Penn Relays.

The women’s 4×400 team also were heat winners, with sophomore Tionna Garner, sophomore Antoinette Isekenegbe, sophomore Nia Driver and senior Kate Frye winning their section in a time of 3:53.89. This marks the seventh time since 2006 that the Monmouth women have won their section of the 4×400 relay. 

On the second day at the Penn Relays, senior Jalen Walker, running in an elite field of hurdlers, finished 20th in the 110 Hurdles with a time of 14.44 seconds. 

Senior Taylor Bernstein threw 173’7” for sixth place in the college men’s discus and finished eighth in the college men’s shot put with a throw of. 56’10.75”. Senior Kelsey Reese threw 139’10” to finish 10th in the Championship of America women’s javelin.

The men’s 4×400 of sophomore Malcolm Chavis, junior John Malespina, junior Geordan Ferguson and senior captain Ben Boyd ran 3:17.67 to finish second in their heat. The time advances them to Saturdays final which they declined to run in, the first sprint final a men’s relay team has advanced to since 2005.

On Saturday at the Penn Relays, the women’s 4×800 finished 10th in the Championship of America, running 8:55.67. 

The team of freshman Allie Wilson, sophomore Jenna Cupp, junior Kendal Hand, and Garner, ran the number two fastest time in school history. The men’s 4×800 also raced in the Championship of America section as the group of junior Domenick D’Agostino, senior Andrew Langille, senior Alex Leight and sophomore Dylan Capwell ran 7:36.20 to come in 12th.

At Lehigh, senior Lauren McDonald took second in the 100 meter dash, running 12.84 seconds. McDonald also took second in the pole vault. Freshman Adaeze Amaefule took fourth in the 400, and sophomore Jessica Ball was fourth in the 800. 

Sophomore McKenna Coakley finished first in the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:03.72 a season best. Senior Kimberly Price won the triple jump with a jump of 36’ 3.50”.

Senior Amber Brown finished second in the hammer throw with a throw of 46.67m, with freshman Alicia Hester in fifth throwing 41.25m.

Junior Aziza Ahmed won the discus with a throw of 155’6.75”. Brown also finished second in the hammer throw at 153’1.75”. Junior Graham Huggins-Filozof won the 1500 with a time of 3:57.58. Senior Dustin Roadside took a third place finish in the 5k running 16:11.72. Senior Ron Brown took sixth in the 400 hurdles. 

Senior Erik Anderson placed second in the high jump with a mark of 6’4.25”. Junior Colton Lambert won the pole vault at 14’4.25” a personal best jump. Junior Liam Vogt won the long jump, jumping 23’6”, while also taking fourth in the triple jump. Junior Chris Norcross finished sixth in the javelin with a mark of 53.23m. Sophomore Troy Andretta took second at 54.99m in the hammer. 

The top three throws in the shot put were all MU athletes, with Taylor Bernstein winning it at 57’2.25”. Junior Tevin Kirby-Stewart took second throwing 54’10.75”, and freshman Corey Murphy in third. Bernstein also won the discus with a throw of 173’7.75”. Troy Andretta claimed second in the hammer with a throw of 180’5.25”.

Next weekend the Hawks host the 2015 MAAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday and Sunday.After that MU has a couple weeks off before heading into the ECAC, IC4A, and NCAA Championships.

PHOTO COURTESY of Mel Lewis