Moravian Looks to Capture Its 5th Straight Landmark Conference Title
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Moravian College women's track & field team travels to Susquehanna University this Saturday, February 25th for the Landmark Conference Indoor Championships. The women's squad is looking to capture its 19th conference championship, including its sixth straight. The Greyhounds have also won 15 of their last 16 conference titles.
Landmark Conference Championship Info
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Moravian College women's track & field team travels to Susquehanna University this Saturday, February 25th for the Landmark Conference Indoor Championships. The women's squad is looking to capture its 19th conference championship, including its sixth straight. The Greyhounds have also won 15 of their last 16 conference titles.
Moravian is led by junior Micah Leonard, who is the defending conference champion in the long jump and triple jump. Leonard's holds the best conference long jump at 5.33 meters (17 feet, 6 inches) and triple jump at 11.41 meters (37 feet, 5 ¼ inches). Leonard also ranks fifth in the conference in the 60 meter dash with a time of 8.42 seconds and ran a 9.85 in the 60 meter hurdles.
Also returning is senior Abigail Schaffer, who is the defending NCAA Division III Champion and holds the national meet record at 4.17 meters (13 feet, 8 ¼ inches). Her top mark this year is 3.90 meters (12 feet, 9 ½ inches). Schaffer also ran 29.02 in the 200 meter dash this winter. Sophomore Allison Vanek is right behind Schaffer in the pole vault with a height of 3.59 meters (11 feet, 9 ¼ inches). Vanek also holds the second best conference long jump with a distance of 5.19 meters (17 feet, ¼ inch), and she has a time of 29.38 in the 200 meter dash.
Freshmen Hailey Kester and Dana Fineman are ranked third and fourth in the Landmark in the pole vault, respectively. Kester has a height of 3.36 meters (11 feet, ¼ inch) while Fineman is at 3.20 meters (10 feet, 6 inches). Kester also competes in the long jump with a distance of 4.43 meters (14 feet, 6 ¼ inches) and the triple jump at 9.85 meters (32 feet, 3 ¾ inches). Fineman competes in the 200 meter dash as well with a best time of 29.01.
Senior Kristina Ruggiero is a returning conference champion in the 800 meter run, and so far this season she has run the second best time in the conference at 2:24.68. Ruggiero holds the tenth best time in the conference in the mile run at 5:38.18. Freshman Emily Lambright has a time of 5:38.91 in the mile run, and a 2:29.42 in the 800 meter run. Senior Megan Hallowell has the Landmark's fifth best 5,000 meter run time at 19:28.02 while also running a 5:51.79 in the mile.
Freshman Claire Del Casale will compete in the 5,000 meter run, where she ranks fourth in the conference with a time of 19:24.40. She is also 14th in the mile run with a time of 5:41.82, and will compete in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:35.47. Sophomore Jennifer Smilgis will be a contestant in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:29.65 (tenth best in Landmark) and the one mile run with a time of 5:41.93 (15th in Landmark).
Freshman Brianna Wright currently holds the fastest 60 meter dash in the Landmark this season at 8.28. In the 200 meter dash, she ranks 13th with a time of 28.08, and Wright is 11th in the 400 meter dash with a time of 1:03.59. Wright also ran a 10.36 in the 60 meter hurdles. Senior Lisa Williamson holds the top 200 meter dash time in the conference at 26.69 to go with her 8.37 time in the 60 meter dash (fourth best in Landmark). Williamson also holds the sixth best time in the conference in the 400 meter dash at 1:02.89.
Freshman Brielle Sutter holds the top mark in the Landmark in the 400 meter dash at 59.94. She is also right behind Williamson in the 200 meter dash with a time of 26.95. Sutter also ran an 8.61 in the 60 meter dash. She has also jumped 1.42 meters (4 feet, 7 ¾ inches) in the high jump and holds the eighth best jump in the long jump at 4.90 meters (16 feet, ¾ inch). Freshman Morgan Redmond is going to be a key player in the sprint events. She currently has the sixth best conference time in the 60 meter dash (8.45), seventh best in the 200 meter dash (27.40) and fourth fastest time in the 400 meter dash at 1:02.83. She also has the top time for the Greyhounds in the 60 meter hurdles at 9.64.
Freshman Giana Vecchio will compete in four different events at the Landmark Conference meet. She has a time of 9.14 in the 60 meter dash, and a time of 11.19 in the 60 meter hurdles. Vecchio also has a long jump distance of 4.50 meters (14 feet, 9 ¼ inches) while achieving a distance of 10.27 meters (33 feet, 8 ½ inches) in the triple jump.
Freshmen Jenny Kratch and Allissa Hoffman will participate in the shot put and weight throw. Kratch has a shot put distance of 10.30 meters (33 feet, 9 ½ inches) and a weight throw of 11.52 meters (37 feet, 9 ½ inches). Hoffman has a weight throw distance of 10.43 meters (34 feet, 2 ¾ inches) and a shot put of 9.43 meters (30 feet, 11 ¼ inches).
Also competing at the Landmark Conference Championship meet will be sophomore Jacqueline Olmstead, who will be in the 60 meter dash, 200 meter dash and the 60 meter hurdles. Classmate Jennifer Parodi will battle in the 400 meter dash, 800 meter run while sophomore Amanda Smilgis will be in the 400 meter dash, 800 meter run, pole vault and the long jump. Also competing in the distance events will be freshmen Alyssa Tallon, Jessie Goldberg, Devon Bedell, and sophomore Emma Pacheco.
The meet is scheduled to start on 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 25th at Susquehanna University.
