University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Atlantic 10 Championship (Day 2)
Minutewomen Capture 2016 Indoor Track and Field Title
February 21, 2016 | Women's Track & Field
KINGSTON, R.I. - University of Massachusetts women's track and field posted nine top-three performances on Sunday, helping the squad capture its third Atlantic 10 Indoor Track and Field Championship at Rhode Island's Mackal Field House. After entering the day's action in fourth place in the team standings, the Minutewomen finished the meet with 123 points for first out of 13 teams.
For winning three gold medals and one bronze, junior Heather MacLean was tabbed the women's Most Outstanding Track Performer, while freshman Emilie Cowan earned the nod as the women's Most Outstanding Rookie Performer for her two gold medals and one bronze. UMass head coach Julie LaFreniere was selected as the Coach of the Year, her 12th time earning the award and third for indoor track and field.
MacLean won both the mile and the 800m runs, posting times of 4 minutes, 53.84 seconds and an Atlantic 10 record 2 minutes, 9.06 seconds, respectively.
Cowan took home the 200m title in 25.02 seconds, breaking teammate Jada Lofgren-Anderson's school record in the event. The freshman also won the 500m, setting an Atlantic 10 record with a time of 1 minute, 12.95 seconds, which matched the UMass record, as well.
Senior Kelsey Crawford earned a silver medal in the shot put, throwing 46 feet, 2.00 inches, while Margaret Riseborough also scored in the event, taking seventh with a 42-foot, 1.50-inch throw.
Freshman Gabrielle Bennett captured bronze in the 60m hurdles, clocking in at 8.85 seconds. Bennett also scored in the high jump, placing sixth with a height of 5 feet, 5 inches.
Senior Carly Zinner rounded out UMass' individual medal winners, earning bronze in the mile run with a time of 4 minutes, 59.24 seconds.
Lofgren-Anderson placed seventh in both the 60m dash at 7.79 seconds and in the 200m dash with a time of 25.67 seconds.
Also scoring for the Minutewomen in the individual events were sophomore Colleen Sands (5th, 10:05.34) and freshman Alexa Livingstone (7th, 10:08.37) in the 3,000m and freshman Olivia Weir (5th, 2:57.56) in the 1,000m.
UMass earned bronze medals in both relays on day two. In the 4x800m relay, freshman Mary Lavery, sophomore Sofia Pitouli, Zinner and Weir logged a time of 9 minutes, 7.57 seconds. In the 4x400m relay, freshman Elizabeth Gulino, freshman Melissa Beaupre, MacLean and Cowan sealed the championship, running 3 minutes, 52.14 seconds, in the final event of the meet, the fifth-fastest time in program history.
The Minutewomen will be back in action next Fri. and Sat., Feb. 26-27, when the squad will travel to the New England Championship at Boston University in Boston, Mass.
Players Mentioned
