STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's track and field team won the Northeast Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship for the first time since 1999 and sixth in program history on Saturday at the Ocean State Athletic Complex.
RESULTS
The Knights ended the championship weekend with 109 points, which was the highest team total since 1999. Mount St. Mary's (97 points) and LIU (96 points) placed second and third, respectively. FDU earned a total of three gold, two silver, and six bronze medals across the two days.
"I am very proud of what our team has accomplished today and they are a testament of what hard work and dedication accomplishes," said head coach
Sharlene Milwood-Lee. "We showed up this weekend and executed the game plan we put in place."
Senior
Madeline Price brought home all three of the Knights' gold medals and was recognized as the Most Valuable Performer. After winning last season's triple jump event, the senior defended her crown and broke her own record from last year with a leap of 12.36 meters. Price then competed in the 60-meter finals after qualifying on day one and won the gold with a personal-best time of 7.64 seconds.
Over the course of the two days, Price recorded gold medal victories in the 60-meter dash, long, and triple jump, which was good for 30 points. The senior added another five points to the Knights score with a time of 24.96 in the 200-meter event. She is now a member of the All-NEC First Team in the 60 meter, long, and triple jump.
"Madeline's grit and confidence event after event was not only key in helping us win the NEC Championship, but provided great motivation for her teammates," said Milwood-Lee about Price's performance over the weekend.
In the first event of the day, freshman
Shaunelle Riley set a PR in the 60-meter hurdles and earned fifth place after recording a time of 9.07. Sophomore
Gabrielle Charles also qualified for the final and recorded a point with a 9.31 frame.
Junior captain
Jazmyn Lewis earned a spot on the All-NEC Second Team in the 500 meter event with a mark of 1:15.12. Lewis was an All-NEC Second Team Performer as well a season ago in the 500 meter dash and earned the accolade again after shaving .62 seconds off last years mark.
After earning All-NEC Second Team honors yesterday in the long jump, senior
Kylia Smith took home the bronze medal in the 60-meter dash after recording a 7.67 mark. Riley also competed in the 60-meter event and placed sixth overall with a time of 7.72. Price, Smith, and Riley combined for 19 points in the 60-meter dash.
Riley then ran in the 200-meter final event and brought home a bronze medal with a time of 24.94. The 24.94 mark was a PR for Riley after shaving .05 seconds off her previous-best time. Junior
Shanice Watkins also competed in the 200-meter dash and placed sixth overall with a 25.26 frame.
In the 400-meter event, Watkins earned a bronze medal with a time of 56.20. Griffith also qualified for the finals and placed eighth after recording a 58.78 mark.
Sophomore
Lisa Warfvinge completed her first NEC Championship and brought home a pair of bronze medals. The first came yesterday in the long jump and today she leapt a mark of 11.79 meters in the triple jump. Fellow sophomore
Dominyka Leskauskaite also earned points for FDU in the triple jump with an 11.52 jump to place sixth overall.
Senior
Jade Searles started her day by running in mile and finished fifth overall in the mile after a 5:10.32 mark. The senior also reached the finals of the 800 meter event after qualifying on day one.
In the distance medley, senior
Stella Jepkogei, sophomore
Jodi Alston, Charles, and Searles posted a mark of 13:00.14 to finish eighth overall.
Lewis ran the first leg in the 4x400 meter relay that earned the final bronze medal with a time of 3:52.86 to conclude the NEC Championships.
Shantelle Riley, Griffith, and Watkins were the other three legs in the 4x400 meter event.
FDU will be back in action on Saturday, February 29, at 2 p.m., when they compete in the Fasttrack Last Chance Invitational.
Day One Recap
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's track and field team swept all three medals in the long jump as they completed day one of the NEC Championships on Friday at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex. Eight Knights that competed today qualified for the finals in their respective events.
RESULTS
The Burgundy and Blue currently have earned 25 points and are in second place after day one. Sacred Heart is in first with 32.5 points and Saint Francis University is sitting in third with 19 points.
"I felt we were good today, but tomorrow we will have to be great," said head coach
Sharlene Milwood-Lee. "We will need to keep our focus and continue to cluster in events."
Senior
Madeline Price, who just broke the school record in the long jump two weeks ago at the Millrose Games, took home the gold medal with a leap of 5.95 meters. Price earned 10 points for the Knights and landed a spot on the All-NEC First Team. This is the second season in a row that FDU has finished first in the long jump.
Fellow senior
Kylia Smith earned a spot on the All-NEC Second Team in the long jump with a mark of 5.78 meters. The senior was awarded eight points and won the silver medal. Sophomore
Lisa Warfvinge earned the bronze medal and six points after her jump of 5.54 in her first NEC Championships. Fellow sophomore
Jadalyn Gaines also earned a point with her 5.20 meter leap.
Smith, the reigning NEC Champion in the 60 meter dash, also qualified for the finals with a time of 7.62. Smith's 7.62 time was the best among all competitors by .09 seconds. Price and freshman
Shantelle Riley also qualified for the tomorrow morning's finals and set PR's with times of 7.72 and 7.73 respectively.
The Knights started the morning off strong as freshman
Shaunelle Riley and junior
Gabrielle Charles qualified for the finals in the 60 meter hurdles. Riley set a PR in heat number two with a mark of 9.07. Charles posted a time of 9.24 and reached the finals for the second straight season.
In the 400 meter event, junior
Shanice Watkins won heat five and qualified for the finals tomorrow with a time of 58.73. Watkins earned the silver in last years NEC Championship. Joining Watkins in the finals will be sophomore
Daniella Griffith after clocking a time of 58.48.
Junior captain
Jazmyn Lewis will have a chance to win the gold tomorrow in the 500 meter event as she posted a time of 1:18.44, which placed third among qualifiers. She earned a spot on last seasons All-NEC Second Team in the 500 meter dash.
Senior
Jade Searles competed in the mile run and will run tomorrow after recording a time of 5:10.91. Her mark ranked fourth among all qualifiers. The senior also will compete in the 800 meter finals after clocking a mark of 2:20.56.
In the weight throw, the Burgundy and Blue freshman
Stacey Saint-Paul (11.67 meters) and junior
Elizabeth Peppernick competed in the finals.
FDU rounded out the afternoon with Price setting a PR in the 200 meter dash with a time of 24.92. The senior qualified for the finals tomorrow and recorded the best time in the preliminaries.
Shantelle Riley and Watkins also competed and will run again after their times of 25.08 and 25.16 respectively.
The Burgundy and Blue will return to the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex tomorrow for day two of the NEC Championships beginning at 9 a.m.
