Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU track & field team opened its 2021-22 season Friday, competing at the YSU Icebreaker at the Watson and Tressel Training Site (WATTS) in Youngstown, Ohio.
SIMPLE, REALLY
Highlighting the season-opening meet for the Colonials was graduate student
Keturah Hunter, who wasted no time adding accolades to her mantle Friday by claiming the individual crown in the weight throw. Katende posted a heave of 18.65 meters (61'2.25"), setting a new YSU Icebreaker meet record while ranking as the second-best mark in program history. The old mark of 17.41 meters was established two years ago by Asia Hoyte of Buffalo, who finished second Friday with a distance of 18.13 meters (59'5.75"). In the same event for the Colonials, graduate student
Yessie Valencia placed fourth at 17.22 meters (56'6").
OTHER FIELD HAPPENINGS
Graduate student
Estelle Katende was one of five Colonials to earn a top 10 finish in the field events, as she claimed fourth in the shot put at 14.31 meters (46'11.50"). In the same event, freshman
Maizee Fry made her NCAA Division I debut, placing 11th with a toss of 12.12 meters (39'9.25"). In the jumps, senior
Tara Gologram placed ninth in the long jump, posting a leap of 5.34 meters (17'6.25") on her second attempt of the competition.
GO THE DISTANCE
The YSU Icebreaker marked the NCAA debut for a number of Colonials, one of which earned a top five finish Friday. Freshman
Carmen Medvit clocked in at 11:23.39 in the 3,000-meter to claim fifth.
SPEED IT UP
While Medvit made her collegiate debut in the distance events Friday, rookies
Maddie Raymond and
Hannah McDanel did the same in the sprints. Raymond posted a time of 7.86 seconds in her first appearance in the 60-meter dash, while McDanel finished at 8.06 in the same event. The duo also took part in the 200-meter dash, with McDanel recording a time of 26.04, and Raymond clocking in at 26.29. Also in the sprints, junior
Elicia Moore recorded a time of 62.62 in her first competition of the year in the 400-meter dash.
RELAYS
Raymond, McDanel and Moore also ran the second, third and final legs, respectively, of RMU's entry for the 4x400-meter relay squad, which placed 10th with a time of 4:10.53. Running the first leg of the relay was senior
Brooke Oldfin.
JUMP AROUND
Sophomore
Gracie Parker took home a top 10 finish for RMU in the first competition of the indoor season, placing 10th in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.24 seconds. In the same event, junior
Lauren Chappell crossed the finish line with a time of 9.36. In the triple jump, freshman
Rayna Todero notched the top mark for the Colonials with a leap of 10.78 meters (35'4.50").
UP NEXT
RMU will return to action after the holidays, beginning with the Nittany Lion Challenge Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022. The Colonials will also take part in the Gulden Invitational (1/22/22), hosted by Bucknell, and the YSU National Mid-Major Invitational (1/28-29/22) as part of their January slate.
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