HARRISONBURG, Va. – Thursday and Friday saw the EMU Track & Field team compete in familiar territory, hosting the annual EMU Heritage Invitational at their state-of-the-at, on-campus Track & Field Complex. The Royals welcomed athletes from Bridgewater, the JMU Club team, Mary Baldwin, Marymount, Shenandoah, Southern Virginia, Sweet Briar, and several unattached athletes.
The Royals had a lot to celebrate on the women's side. In addition to seven event wins, the team also recognized their three senior student-athletes:
Elili Asefa,
Nia Boyd, and
Lauren Kauffman.
Highlights
- DISTANCE/MID-DISTANCE
- 800m Run: Asefa achieved runner-up honors with a time of 2:28.29.
- 1500m Run: Erin Loker picked up the first of her two victories in the meet with a winning time of 5:06.23 in the 1500m. She won by over seven seconds ahead of Elaina Sherline of Sweet Briar. Kauffman completed the podium with a third-place finish in a time of 5:16.04.
- 5000m Run: Loker and Kauffman made up a 1-2 finish for the Royals, respectively. Loker won in 19:35.24, followed closely by Kauffman in 19:39.04.
- 10000m Run: Sarah Wheeler won the longest race of the meet in a time of 50:56.94.
- 3000m Steeplechase: Asefa turned in a winning performance in the steeplechase, completing 7.5 laps over barriers and water jumps in 12:28.27.
- SPRINTS
- 100m Dash: Boyd took home sixth place in a time of 14.02.
- 200m Dash: CJ Jefferson led the Royals in this event, finishing fifth in a PR time of 29.43. She was followed by Eve Detter in seventh place with a time of 34.25.
- 400m Dash: Emmy Teodoro placed second, sprinting one lap of the track in 1:17.69.
- 100m Hurdles: Faith Schultz won with a personal record time of 16.11. The performance moves up to third in EMU history in the 100m hurdles.
- RELAYS
- 4x400m Relay: The team of Claire Hurst, Teodoro, Wheeler and Asefa teamed up to finish third with a time of 4:58.17.
- JUMPS
- High Jump: Schultz picked up a field event win as well, clearing the bar at 1.45m (4'9") in the high jump.
- Triple Jump: Angel David won with a best jump of the day of 10.23m (33'6.75").
- Long Jump: Schultz and David placed second and third with marks of 4.93m (16'2.25") and 4.84m (15'10.5"), respectively.
- THROWS
- Discus: Emma Greer made the podium in third place with a throw of 32.34m (106'1").
- Hammer: Addison Shanholtz had a third-place showing of her own in the hammer with a personal record of 37.34m (122'6"), moving up to third on the EMU all-time list. Greer placed right behind her teammate in fourth with a personal best mark of 37.29m (122'4").
- Shot Put: Greer placed third with a throw of 9.43m (30'11.25"), followed by Lily Gatesman in fifth at 8.79m (28'10.25").
- Javelin: Gatesman made the final in the javelin, taking ninth place with a mark of 21.08m (69'2").
What's Next
The EMU Track & Field team will send a small group of athletes down the street to the JMU Invitational tomorrow, Saturday, April 11. The first events will commence at 10 a.m.
