STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. --
Sarakaye Freeman became the Northeast Conference champion in the long jump, and
Ashli Weems finished third in the weight throw as Fairleigh Dickinson sits in fourth with 16 points after day one of competition.
The sophomore claimed her first career NEC title by one centimeter over Natalia Hinton of Mount St. Mary's -- 5.53m to 5.52m. The 5.53m is a new season-best for Freeman.
Weems' mark of 16.23m is a new personal best by nearly a half a meter and is an ECAC qualifying distance for the junior. Weems' was 0.4m behind second and 0.6m behind first in the final spot on the podium. Weems' previous best was a 15.57m effort at the Metropolitan Championships earlier this season.
Also in the long jump,
Akemi Dwyer just missed scoring a point for the Knights as the freshman finished in ninth with a new personal best of 5.10m -- 0.05m behind eighth, the last point-scoring position.
Fairleigh Dickinson will have a slew of chances to claim NEC titles on the track with seven chances to win across the 60m, 60m hurdles, 200m, 400m, and 800m.
Mary Johnson, who came in as the fastest woman in the NEC, qualified for the finals in both the 60m and 200m dashes. Johnson qualified second (7.75) in the 60m and fourth (25.33) in the 200m.
Ashley McGuire also qualified in a pair of events. The junior will join Johnson in the 200m final after qualifying sixth in a time of 25.52. McGuire will also run in the 400m after qualifying sixth in that event as well after crossing the line in 57.97 in the prelims.
Mae Thompson moved into the finals to defend her title in the 800m after topping the prelims with a time of 2:15.99.
Atara Segree joins Thompson in the final after qualifying in the eighth (2:19.33).
Akemi Dwyer gives the Knights a representative in the 60m hurdles final. The freshman qualified seventh with a time of 9.19. The time is a new personal best for Dwyer by nearly two-tenths.
Robert Morris leads the women's team standings with 35.33 points. Sacred Heart is second; Central Connecticut is third, 5.5 points in front of Fairleigh Dickinson.
Day two gets starts tomorrow (Saturday) at 9:15 with the trials/finals of the men's weight throw. The running events get underway at 10 a.m. with the finals of the women's 60m hurdles.
