Women’s Track & Field Takes Second at USM Open II

Skyhawks take home four titles, including the 4x400 title


Smith won the individual title in the 55-meter hurdles, as she also competed in the 55-meter sprint 

GORHAM, Maine (January 25, 2020) – The Stonehill College women's track and field team took home a second place finish out of 11 teams at the USM Open II, hosted by the University of Southern Maine Saturday.

The Skyhawks totaled 143 points for second place, while Assumption College combined for 149.5 points to take the title. The University of Southern Maine finished third overall with 99.5 points, while Bates College and Plymouth State University rounded out the top five teams with 94 and 57 points, respectively.  

Highlights:

  • Senior Zoe Smith took home the individual title in the 55-meter hurdles, as she first clocked in a time of 8.52-seconds in the preliminary event. In the finals, she clocked in a new school record and personal best time of 8.42-seconds for the win. Sophomore Savanna Macaluso and junior Casey Gannon followed in second and third, respectively in the preliminary round and the finals. Macaluso first ran a time of 8.58-seconds and then a personal best time of 8.53-seconds in the finals, while Gannon clocked in a time of 8.76-seconds and then a personal best time of 8.64-seconds in finals.
  • Stonehill's 4x400-meter relay team composed of Ashley Colarusso, Gannon, Sinead O'Brien, and Claire Hurtado finished first out of 10 teams with their time of 4:10.86. Colarusso led the way with an unofficial split of 61.4-seconds, followed by Gannon who ran an unofficial 400-meter leg of 62.8-seconds. O'Brien was the third leg with her unofficial time of 62.9-seconds, while Hurtado was the anchor leg with an unofficial time of 63.7-seconds.
  • Senior Madison Ward also earned the individual title, as she cleared a height of 5 feet, 3.25 inches in the high jump. Junior Kathleen Giusti also earned points for the Skyhawks with her third-place finish in the event with her height of 5 feet, 2.25 inches.
  • Senior Jesica Litwa was the fourth individual title for the Skyhawks with her throw of 47 feet, 1.75 inches in the weight throw. She hit this mark on her opening throw. Classmate Shayla Lyons placed third with her measurement of 47 feet, 1.75 inches.
  • Smith also competed in the 55-meter sprint, as she clocked in a time of personal best time of 7.62-seconds, good for third place, while Macaluso finished in 7.64-seconds, good for 6th overall. Both Skyhawks qualified for finals, as Macaluso crossed the finish in a personal best time of 7.59-seconds taking home fourth place and Smith ran the event in 7.66-seconds, taking fifth place.
  • Lyons was the runner up in the shot put with her mark of 41 feet, 5 inches to qualify for the New England Championships, while classmate Elizabeth Balzarini followed in third place with a mark of 39 feet, 7.25 inches. Sophomore Krista Stracqualursi also earned points for the Skyhawks throwing the shot put a distance of 37 feet, 9.25 inches.
  • In the pole vault, Haley Lightbody led the way as she finished third out of 17 competitors, as she cleared a height of 10 feet, 8 inches. Colarusso also cleared the same height to take home fourth place, while Alexandra Sexton cleared 10 feet, 2 inches for sixth place.
  • Lightbody also competed in the long jump, where she took home third with a distance of 17 feet, 0.5 inches.

Ward also earned one of the Skyhawks individual titles, as she competed in high jump and triple jump

Other Highlights:

  • O'Brien also ran the 200-meter dash and earned five points for the Skyhawks with her time of 27.65-seconds, finishing fourth out of 45 competitors.
  • Three Skyhawks finished in the top 10 in the 800-meter run, including Clare Mason, Jenna French, Hurtado. Mason took the top mark with a time of 2:26.64, while French immediately followed in second with a time of 2:27.24 and Hurtado finished seventh with a time of 2:34.48.
  • Junior Fiona Jordan finished first in her heat of the 400-meter run with a time of 1:05.54. Her time placed her sixth out of 19 competitors.

Up Next:

Those that have qualified will compete at the New England Indoor Track & Field Championships on Friday, January 31 – Saturday, February 1 at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center.

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.