PHILADELPHIA – Despite three Ivy League Heptagonal Championships and an honorable mention All-American season, one accolade still eluded Anna Peyton Malizia: a Penn Relays watch.
On Saturday, Malizia etched her name as the first woman in program history to capture the high jump Championship section during the 125th running of the Penn Relays with a clearance of 1.82m (5-11.5).
The senior cruised through the first four heights, leaping over 1.70m, 1.74m, 1.78m and 1.82m in four total jumps, ensuring her victory when she and Villanova's Sanaa Barnes couldn't muster enough height to clear 1.85m.
Her triumph added to a historic weekend for the Quakers' women's program, pairing the high jump title with the Championship of America DMR crown that Nia Akins, Uchechi Nwogwugwu, Melissa Tanaka and Maddie Villalba snatched on Thursday, the first of any Ivy League women's program. Penn entered with three total championship wins at the Penn Relays, but the DMR and high jump marked the first time the Quakers won two in a single season.
Later on Saturday, in front of a massive audience at Franklin Field, the women's 4x400 quartet of Skyla Wilson, Cecil Ene, Elena Brown-Soler and Nwogwugwu lowered the program record, finishing in 3:35.43 to cross the line in second behind South Carolina.
Freshman Marc Minichello also recorded a runner-up finish on Saturday, launching a throw of 68.57m (224-11) in the Championship section of the men's javelin. In other field events, Chudi Ikpeazu placed fifth with a mark of 55.82m (183-1) in the Championship discus throw.
The Quakers competed in three Championship of America races, including the runner-up finish in the women's 4x400 during the final day. The women's team, consisting of Caroline O'Sullivan, Villalba, Tanaka and Akins, placed fifth in the 4x800, combining for a time of 8:38.65, led by Akins' impressive 2:02.33 split, which would be a program record in the 800. The men's 4x800 team, which ran Joe Novak, Mason Gatewood, James Lee and Elias Graca, combined for a sixth-place finish in 7:34.35.
Penn men finished second in the 4x400 Eastern section with a time of 3:14.53, run by Ryan Bender, Tyler Herrick, William Duchow and Calvary Rogers.
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