Women's Track Wins Two Races at Patriot Games

Jan. 26, 2013

FAIRFAX, Va. - The Navy women's indoor track and field squad (12-0) won two events and posted three ECAC-qualifying performances at George Mason's Patriot Games Invitational on Saturday. The Patriot Games is a non-team scored meet and Navy competed against over 20 other schools.

Freshman Ashley Welker won the 1,000m run with a time of 2:58.70. Sophomore Madeline Zell was second at 2:58.76 and freshman Amanda Mulkey was third (3:00.89).

Sophomore Sarah Bernhardt won the 500m run with a personal-best time of 1:18.50 and senior Natasha Druggan was second at 1:18.92.

Navy's 4x800m relay team of freshman Dale Lescher, Mulkey, Zell and Welker ran a 9:22.17 to place third and qualify for the ECAC Indoor Championship.

Senior Brigid Byrne clocked a 10:01.32 to take fourth place in the 3,000m run. Byrne's flat track-converted time (9:56.21) qualifies her for the ECAC Championship and she is the first Mid to qualify for two events this season (3,000m and 5,000m).

Byrne also ran a 5:09.05 in the mile run to place 10th overall. Freshman Kelley Robinson, a 2012 Patriot League Cross Country First-Team honoree, made her indoor track and field debut at the Patriot Games, clocking a 5:09.19 to take 11th place. There were a number of unattached entries in the mile and Byrne and Robinson were sixth and seventh, respectively, among college runners.

Junior Maressa Guynn placed second in the weight throw with a personal best and ECAC-qualifying mark of 52-9Â¼ (16.08m). Guynn was also 10th in the shot put with a mark of 38-1Â½ (11.62m).

Senior Kristin Smith tied for third in the high jump with a clear of 5-3 (1.60m). Smith had won the high jump at the Patriot Games each of the last three years. Junior Veronica Ffrench also cleared 5-3 (1.60m) to place eighth.

Sophomore Sarah Barnum made a season-best mark of 17-2 (5.23m) to place ninth in the long jump and freshman Crystan McLymore placed seventh in the triple jump at 35-10 (10.92m).

Senior Jessica Ridgway ran a 7.96 to place 11th in the finals of the 60m dash. Ridgway ran a season-best 7.92 in the prelims of the 60m dash to advance to the finals and Ffrench ran a season-best 7.94 in the prelims.

Bernhardt, senior Stephanie Payne, senior Arabia Littlejohn and Druggan placed fifth in the 4x400m relay at 4:00.72.

Navy will next travel to West Point to compete in the annual Army-Navy Indoor Star Meet on Sunday at 12 noon. Navy leads the all-time indoor series, 13-12-1, and has won seven straight indoor meets against the Black Knights.

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