Women’s track and field 2nd at meet at MIT
 |
 |
|
Molly Radis ’10 |
Jen Marino ’09 |
 |
 |
|
Cassandra Kirkland ’08 |
Vantiel Elizabeth Duncan ’10 |
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A number of breakthrough performances marked the start of the 2008 indoor season for the Bates women’s track and field team, as the Bobcats finished second out of four teams at MIT on Saturday. Host MIT scored the most points with 178.5, followed by Bates (158), Colby (136) and Southern Maine (120).
Sophomore Molly Radis (Peaks Island, Maine), a newcomer to Bates track and field, won the 200-meter dash by .19 seconds, in 27.24, and also finished third in the 55 at 7.72 seconds, the fastest time for a Bates runner in 12 years. Radis debuted at No. 9 on Bates’ all-time list in the 55 and No. 7 in the indoor 200, and also qualified for the New England Division III Championships in both events.
Junior Jen Marino (Methuen, Mass.) registered a significant personal record in the long jump with a first-place leap of 16 feet and 7 inches, qualifying her for both New Englands and the ECAC Division III Championships, and putting her at No. 9 on Bates’ all-time performance list. Marino also won the 400-meter dash in 1:03.24, qualifying her for New Englands.
Senior co-captain Cassandra Kirkland (Greene, Maine) won the 20-pound weight throw with a personal-best 14.89 meters, putting her at No. 4 on Bates’ all-time performance list and qualifying her for ECACs.
Sophomore Vantiel Elizabeth Duncan (Topsham, Maine) won the shot put with an indoor personal record 12.13 meters, putting her at No. 3 on Bates’ all-time performance list and qualifying her for New Englands and ECACs. Duncan was also second in the weight throw at 14.25m, putting her at No. 8 all-time and qualifying for ECACs.
Junior co-captain Izzy Alexander (Harvard, Mass.) won the 600 meters in 1:41.80, qualifying for New Englands.
Bates also won the 4×400-meter relay in 4:11.05, the 10th best time in program history and an ECAC qualifier. First-year Dana Lindauer (Needham, Mass.) was the leadoff runner, followed by Radis, Marino and Alexander.
Other standout performances included:
- Lindauer placing third in the 600 (1:43.80) and qualifying for ECACs;
- Senior co-captain Amy Rosania (Rye Beach, N.H.) placing third in the 800 in 2:25.23, qualifying for New Englands;
- First-year Alexandria Alberto (Concord, Mass.) placing third in the 1,000 meters (3:13.61), qualifying for New Englands;
- First-year Jen Mitton (Reisterstown, Md.) finished third in the mile at 5:24.14, qualifying for New Englands;
- First-year Megan Schleck (Mendota Heights, Minn.) and sophomore Lily Gordon (Scarsdale, N.Y.) were fourth and fifth, respectively, in the pole vault, each tying for No. 4 on Bates’ all-time performance list at 2.73 meters (Schleck edged Gordon on jumps).
Bates will send some athletes to the Terrier Classic at Boston University on Jan. 25, then will host a dual meet with Colby on Jan. 26.