The Emory University Women's Track and Field team had a strong showing on Sunday afternoon, finishing third out of 23 schools at the fifth-annual Emory Crossplex Invitational at the Birmingham Crossplex in Birmingham, Alabama. The Eagles were the top Division III program at the meet, scoring 76.5 total points.
Junior Gabrielle Stravach posted the lone first place finish for the Eagles on either the men's or the women's side, taking first in the 3000m Run with a time of 10:16.54. Stravach led a quartet of Eagles that registered a top-8 finish in the event. Senior Mia Eisenhandler was fourth at 10:39.23 followed by junior Tru Powell in seventh at 10:44.00 and sophomore Clare Ubersax in eighth at 10:44.43.
In the 5000m Run, a trio of Eagles earned points led by senior Michelle Kagei with a second place finish, recording a time of 18:18.66. Junior Megan Waples finished third with a time of 18:28.41 while senior Sophie Cemaj took sixth at 18:39.82.
Junior Dyess Verfurth and freshman Morgan Dommisse combined for nine points in the section 3 and 4 3000m Run event, taking fifth (11:30.20) and sixth (11:31.93), respectively. Sophomore Dani Bland turned in an eighth place finish in the 60m Dash. Her time of 7.86 currently places her eighth among all Division III performers.
In the Distance Medley Relay, the Eagles' 'B' relay consisting of freshmen Jordan Burgess, Nicole Steiner, Victoria Spiezio and sophomore Paige Lesslauer edged out Emory's 'A' relay of freshmen Ileana Zeissner, Meredith Hughes and sophomores Radhika Shah and Kayla O'Shea as the teams finished fifth and sixth in the event. The 'B' relay posted a time of 13:22.65 while the 'A' relay crossed the finish line at 13:25.89.
Junior Erica Goldman, sophomores Hayley Moyer, Ariana Newhouse and freshman Kaitlyn Leonard rounded out Emory performers in the track events, taking fifth in the 4x400m Relay with a time of 4:06.58.
In the field events, freshman Isabel Saridakis recorded the fourth-best individual mark in school history in the pole vault, placing third at 3.26m. Four Eagle rookies scored in the high jump event led by Nyla Lindo who finished second at 1.52m while Gabrielle Davis, Emily Behan and Justine Zienowicz each registered a mark of 1.42m. Also scoring for Emory in the field events was sophomore Kaleena Jesson in the pole vault, finishing eighth at 2.96m
The Eagles will return to the Birmingham Crossplex next Sunday with the KMS Invitational.