PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania men's and women's track & field programs excelled in a few different areas of the country this weekend, competing at the Tennessee Relays in Knoxville, Bucknell's Bison Classic and the Rider Invite.
The women's team set three program records, led by Nia Akins' 2:03.76 in the 800m and Cecil Ene lowering her own previous record with a 23.63 at the Tennessee Relays in the 200m and Maddie Villalba running a 4:16.83 in the 1500m, a new record, at the Bison Classic.
Meanwhile, ten total performances were worthy of top-10 all-time recognition.
TENNESSEE RELAYS
MEN
In Knoxville, the Quakers held their ground with some of the best programs in the country. Marc Minichello opened the weekend with a 72.45m (237-8) throw in the javelin, placing third and setting the third-best mark in program history. The mark is the seventh-best in the NCAA East list thus far. In the pole vault, Nathan Fisher finished third with a clearance of 5.20m (17-0.75), fourth-best all-time and Cristian Constantin reached 15.51m (50-10.75) in the triple jump, good for fifth in the meet and sixth all-time in program history. Other notable performances went to Marvin Morgan's 10.39 in the 100m to place seventh and Calvary Rogers' 20.87 in the 200m, notching another top-10 finish. Anthony Okolo ran a 53.66 in the 400m hurdles, placing fourth. Mason Gatewood finished ninth in the 800m, finishing in 1:51.16.
WOMEN
Akins and Ene each set program records, breaking them in the 800m and 200m, respectively. Akins improved her standing to second in the NCAA East qualifying list. The 4x400m relay quartet of Elena Brown-Soler, Ene, Akins, Uchechi Nwogwugwu placed third while also setting the third-best time in program history. In the long jump, Camille Dickson finished sixth after clearing 6.04m (19-9.75). Due to wind, she doesn't improve her top-10 all-time standing, but Brown-Soler and Kathryn Schoenauer do. Brown-Soler placed 12th, cleared 5.90m (19-4.25) and moved to fourth all-time, while Schoenauer reached out to 5.83m (19-1.5), ninth-best all-time. As for top-10 meet finishes, Melissa Tanaka finished the 800m in 2:08.77, the race Akins won and Nwogwugwu and Ene placed fourth and eighth, respectively, in the 400m. Rachel Lee Wilson recorded a fourth-place finish in the hammer throw with a toss of 60.96m (200) and freshman Mayyi Mahama placed sixth with a mark of 59.72m (195-11). Anna Peyton Malizia finished second in the high jump, clearing 1.73m (5-8) and Olivia Welsh finished 10th with a makr of 1.63m (5-4.25). Ashley Anumba placed 10th in the discus with a 46.54m (152-8) throw.
BISON CLASSIC
Maddie Villalba highlighted Penn's performance at the Bison Classic by setting the program record in the 1500m, crossing the finishing line in 4:16.83, the fourth-best time in the NCAA East.
RIDER INVITE
Skyla Wilson set the seventh-best time in program history in the 100m hurdles, finishing in 14.07, second in the meet. Meghan Barnes wasn't far behind, placing third with a time of 14.42. Mia Knight won the 100m dash, crossing the line in 12.10. Other victories for the Quakers went to Haley Rizek (javelin, 38.86m/127-6), Campbell Parker (discus, 48.20m/158-2) (hammer, 54.60m/179-2), Demetri Whitsett (long jump, 7.12m/23-4.5), Sean Clarke (pole vault, 5.05m/16-6.75), Zoe Early (pole vault, 3.55m/11-7.75).
WHAT'S NEXT?
Penn travels back to Princeton for the Larry Ellis Invitation on Friday and Saturday, April 19-20 before gearing up for the Penn Relays the next week.
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