BOSTON – In their final competition before the Patriot League Championships, the Boston University women's track & field team hosted the David Hemery Valentine Invitational at the TTC on Friday.
BU competed against a very large and talented field made up of approximately 2,000 athletes representing more than 100 teams including hundreds of post-collegiate athletes.
The Terriers had several strong performances including freshman
Sophia Jacobs-Townsley who finished the 5000m run with an incredible time of 16:35.75, fastest in the Patriot League this season by more than 35 seconds and fifth fastest ever for a Terrier.
Andrea Claeson had an excellent showing in the 3000m run, finishing with a time of 9:46.60 which is a personal best and leads the Patriot League.
THE RUNDOWN
Event: David Hemery Valentine Invitational
Location: Boston University Track & Tennis Center
Women's Results: Lancer Timing
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
- Freshman Sophia Jacobs-Townsley finished the 5000m run with an incredible time of 16:35.75. Her time is the fastest in the Patriot League this year by more than 35 seconds and fifth-fastest 5K ever for a Terrier. Jacobs-Townsley finished 12th overall in a deep and talented field of 61 runners.
- Andrea Claeson competed in the 3000m run and finished with an excellent time of 9:46.60 which is a personal best and leads the Patriot League.
- Greer Liguori took first in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.99, a new personal best.
- Junior Veronica Kriss competed in the 3000m run and finished 38th in a field of 115 with a time of 10:09.96, a new personal best.
- Gillian Morrison finished third in the 60m hurdles with a time of 9.18 in a field of 72.
- Freshman Noelani Phillips had a strong performance in the 60m dash, finishing eighth with a time of 7.97, a new personal best.
- Freshman Joceline Wind competed in the 1 mile run and finished with a time of 4:58.73.
- Junior Bridget Chiaravalle competed in the 60m hurdles invite prelims and finished 13th in a field of 27 with a time of 9:06.
- Cecelia Gerstenbacher competed in the in the 60m dash invitational prelims and finished 10th with a time of 7.81. Gerstenbacher later competed in the 200m dash and finished with a time of 25.03, good for 32nd place in a field of 330 sprinters.
- Sophomore Gabriela Yiangou made her indoor debut competing in the 3000m and finished with a time of 10:34.08.
- In the field, freshman Natalie Kwortnik finished second in the long jump with a 5.51m (18'1") effort, a new personal best.
- In the pole vault, Lauren Sikoski cleared 3.51 meters ( 11'6.25") and finished tied for fourth place.
STAR STUDDED PERFORMANCES
- Nia Akins of Penn had a tremendous performance in the 800m run, finishing first with an incredible time 2:00.71. Her time was the second-fastest collegiate 800 ever run, behind only Jazmine Fray's time of 2:00.69 which she set back in 2017 for Texas A&M.
- Lindsey Butterworth won the 1000m run with a time of 2:37.85, just missing the facility and Canadian record of 2:37.04 set by Jenna Westaway at the TTC last year.
- Speaking of Westaway, she competed in the 1 mile run and finished second with a time of 4:33.38 behind only Julie-Anne Staehli who finished first with a time of 4:32.36.
- In the final women's event on Friday evening, Jenny Simpson competed in the 5000m and finished with a time of 14:58.67, the third fastest 5K ever for an American runner.
HEMERY CONTINUES SATURDAY
- The David Hemery Valentine Invite will continue on Saturday with the men's competition beginning at 9am with the 5000 meter run.
PL CHAMPIONSHIP NEXT
- Following this weekend's competition, the track & field teams will have a week off before traveling to Bethlehem, Penn. to compete at the Patriot League Championship hosted by Lehigh on Feb. 29 to Match 1.
(More to follow)
