BOSTON – The Boston University track & field team kicked off its 2023 home competition with The Battle in Beantown on Saturday. The competition featured five top-10 program marks, a first-place finish in the men's 800m race, the second annual Jarred Rome Shot Put Invitational and more.
 
Highlighting the day for women's sprints was grad student Emma Montoya, who ran a 24.31 in the 200m dash to place third and set a personal best time. Her time also marks the sixth-fastest time in the event in BU history. Another top mark came in the 200m dash in the men's race. Freshman Logan Popelka ran a 21.16 for the third-fastest time in program history and placed second in the event.
 
In the men's 800m race, grad student Aksel Laudon came away with a first-place finish with a time of 1:51.94. Freshman Parker Schneider finished moments later in third with a 1:52.88 to make an impactful debut at the TTC. On the women's side, freshman Olivia Dodds placed fourth with a 2:18.54.
 
In the women's weight throw, junior Emma Kowalski led BU with a throw of 17.02m (55' 10"), good for eighth. Also having an impactful day was junior Juliana Nakouzi who set a personal best throw of 15.39m (50' 6"). She still holds the ninth-best throw in the event in program history with the improvement.
 
Junior Alli Lofquist continued her growth in the pole vault with a new personal best vault of 3.60m (11' 9.75") to place fifth. This marks the second weekend in a row that Lofquist has set a personal best and moved her up to the No. 4 spot in the Top-10 Terrier rankings in which she was previously ninth.
 
In the Jarred Rome Shot Put event, sophomore Kiana Lino notched a third place finish with a throw of 13.92m (45' 8"). On the men's side, sophomore Gabe Hickman placed second with a throw of 16.15m (53' 0") and sophomore Cole Tucker threw for 15.86m (52' 0.5") to finish third.
 
The 60m dash was highly contested for both the women and the men. Freshman Jada Smith ran a 7.63 in the preliminary race to advance to the finals in which she placed third (7.68).  Freshman Michael Onilogbo, Popelka, junior Dakota Jackson and sophomore Leon Christian all competed in the 60m dash and advanced to the finals. Jackson (6.80), Onilogbo (6.82) and Popelka (6.87) went two-three-four, respectively, while Christian came in ninth (7.08).
 
BU posted two top-five finishes in the 300m, one for the men and one for the women. Freshman Ijeoma Ezechukwu ran a 40.76 to place third in the women's race and Christian notched a 34.62 to take fourth for the men's race.
 
Both Terriers who competed in the high jump took second at the meet. Sophomore Asia Hamilton cleared 1.67m (5' 5.75") to tie for second while grad student Kasim Cisse cleared 2.04m (6' 8.25").
 
The men's 4x400m relay capped off the events on the track. Freshman Liam Gair, Onilogbo, Popelka and Gorriaran made up the squad that ran a 3:14.95 to set the ninth-best relay time in BU history.
 
A full list of results from today's meet is available below.
 
The Terriers will compete again on Friday (Jan. 27) at 8 p.m. and Saturday (Jan. 28) at 11 a.m. when they host the John Thomas Terrier Classic at the TTC. Four sections of the DMR will compete Friday while the rest of the meet will take place on Saturday.
 
WOMEN'S RESULTS
 
60m Dash – Prelims
2. Jada Smith – 7.63 
12. Ijeoma Ezechukwu – 8.04
14. Chinonye Moneme – 8.07 
 
60m Dash – Finals
3. Jada Smith – 7.68 
 
200m Dash
3. Emma Montoya – 24.31
 
300m Dash
3. Ijeoma Ezechukwu – 40.76 
11. Chinonye Moneme – 43.77 
 
400m Dash
12. Lily Borin – 1:01.18
13. Maura Woodland-Medenilla – 1:01.51
 
600m Run
3. Isabella Shepard – 1:33.28
 
800m Run
4. Olivia Dodds – 2:18.54 
9. Alexandra Vellekoop – 2:24.75 
 
Mile Run
19. Brynn Siles – 5:21.20 
 
3000m Run
7. Addison Schmidt – 10:18.18
12. Anna Kavanagh – 11:07.64
 
60m Hurdles – Prelims
9. Emma Montoya – 9.00 
 
60m Hurdles – Finals 
8. Emma Montoya – 8.98
 
4x400m
5. Isabella Shepard, Jada Smith, Maura Woodland-Medenilla, Lily Borin – 3:58.23 
 
Weight Throw
8. Emma Kowalski – 17.02m (55' 10")
15. Juliana Nakouzi – 15.39m (50' 6")
20. Kiana Lino – 14.86m (48' 9")
21. Ellie Roan – 14.61m (47' 11")
24. Uchenna Uba – 13.72m (45' 0")
26. Katherine George – 12.99m (42' 7")
32. Madison Sorrell – 11.66m (38' 3")
 
Jarred Rome Shot Put
3. Kiana Lino – 13.92m (45' 8")
9. Juliana Nakouzi – 12.76m (41' 10.5")
 
Shot Put
3. Ellie Roan – 12.21m (40' 0.75")
11. Madison Sorrell – 10.82m (35' 6")
 
Pole Vault
5. Alli Lofquist – 3.60m (11' 9.75")
8. Lauren Sikoski – 3.30m (10' 10")
T-11. Cailey Spanitz – 3.15m (10' 4")
 
Triple Jump
4. Asia Hamilton – 11.71m (38' 5")
5. Emma Lawrence – 11.63m (38' 2")
 
High Jump
T-2. Asia Hamilton – 1.67m (5' 5.75")
 
MEN'S RESULTS
 
60m Dash – Prelims
2. Michael Onilogbo – 6.84 
4. Logan Popelka – 6.89
5. Dakota Jackson – 6.92
8. Leon Christian – 6.98
 
60m Dash – Finals 
2. Dakota Jackson – 6.80
3. Michael Onilogbo – 6.82 
4. Logan Popelka – 6.87
9. Leon Christian – 7.08
 
200m Dash
2. Logan Popelka – 21.16 
 
300m Dash
4. Leon Christian – 34.62
9. Max Gorriaran – 35.63
 
600m Run
3. Max Gorriaran – 1:18.89
4. Liam Gair – 1:19.71
 
800m Run
1. Aksel Laudon – 1:51.94
3. Parker Schneider – 1:52.88
6. Andrew Trapp – 1:55.08
7. Moritz Ebbeskotte – 1:55.18 
10. Luke Hanratty – 1:55.82
13. Jack Jeffrey – 1:56.66
17. John O'Connor – 1:59.37
 
1 Mile Run
7. Mike Hagen – 4:06.94
17. Jacob Connolly – 4:16.33
27. Aidan Norris – 4:28.65
29. Glenn Bell – 4:31.44
 
3000m Run
8. Freddy Collins – 8:28.54
16. Tucker Bowerfind – 8:55.17
17. Will Loggia – 9:00.61 
 
4x400m Relay
2. Liam Gair, Michael Onilogbo, Logan Popelka, Max Gorriaran – 3:14.95
 
Weight Throw
13. Gabe Hickman – 15.06m (49' 5")
14. Fred Lu – 14.50m (47' 7")
15. Cole Tucker – 14.19m (46' 6")
 
Jarred Rome Shot Put
2. Gabe Hickman – 16.15m (53' 0")
3. Cole Tucker – 15.86m (52' 0.5")
8. Sam Dennerlein – 15.03m (49' 3.75")
11. Fred Lu – 14.25m (46' 9")
 
Long Jump
3. Ryan Rosenberger – 6.98m (22' 10.75")
 
High Jump
2. Kasim Cisse – 2.04m (6' 8.25")