Track & Field: Towson shines on track
By: Alex Ziolkowski, Staff Writer
Towson qualified members for the ECAC (Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference) Championships and set a pair school records after competing in a split squad meet this weekend.
Saturday, the pole vault team competed in the Millersville Metrics hosted by Millersville University in Millersville, Pennsylvania.
Senior Maggie Rampolla won the event with an ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) qualifying height of 3.70 meters.
Junior Brynn Warrington came in second with a height of 3.55 meters while junior Courtney Rose placed third with a height of 3.40 meters and freshman Danielle Diorio finished sixth with a height of 2.80 meters.
At the Colonial Relays, Towson came in 14th place in the three-day meet hosted by Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) rival William & Mary.
“They were motivated,” Head Coach Mike Jackson said. “That’s where they competed at Conference last year and they were looking for redemption.”
Junior Zane Freeland posted two ECAC qualifying times after taking third in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12 seconds. Freeland came in seventh place in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.53 seconds.
The 5,000-meter runners achieved new personal bests. Freshman Hannah Walter ran in 18:15.34 while sophomore Collen Cook scratched a minute off her previous record in 18:30.62.
The relay team of Freeland and freshmen Rachel Laryea, Liz Reid and Arianna Waller set two ECAC qualifying times in the 4×100 meter and 4×200 meter races. The squad came in fifth place during the 4×100 relay with a time 47.65 seconds. They combined for a new school record of 1:41.49 in the 4×200 relay.
The distance medley relay team of fifth year senior Kara Bucaro (a member of The Towerlight Editorial Board), juniors Amanda Famalaro and Megan Knoblock and freshman Erica Israel broke the school record set in 2009 with a time of 12:19.40 minutes.
In the field events, senior Jader Godsey came in seventh during hammer throw with a personal best distance of 41.36 meters. This now ranks third on the program’s all-time list.
Friday Towson will be back in action in the Towson Invitational at Johnny Unitas Stadium.