Republished from UMASS Athletic Department
CAMBRIDGE, Mass-University of Massachusetts women’s track and field freshmen made their way into the program’s record book at the Beantown Challenge on Saturday, led by Danielle Notarfrancesco‘s winning toss in shot put for a new school record. The Minutewomen placed fifth out of eight in the team standings with 64.5 points, while Northeastern won the meet with 117 points.
Notarfrancesco surpassed Kelsey Crawford‘s UMass shot put record of 47 feet, 9.25 inches with her first throw of the day, which went 48 feet, 0.75 inches to improve upon her New England and ECAC qualifying marks. Freshman Lauren LaDere was third in the event with the No. 3 throw in UMass history, 45 feet, 8 inches and qualified for the ECAC and New England Championships, as well. Nortarfancesco also scored points in weight throw, claiming sixth with a toss of 50 feet, 5.25 inches.
Freshman Ivana Nyemeck, UMass’ second individual winner of the day, captured the top spot in triple jump at 39 feet, 2.50 inches. Her jump landed her fifth all-time in program history and met the New England and ECAC standards. Nyemeck scored in long jump, as well, placing eighth with a mark of 17 feet, 0.75 inches. Sophomore Ashley Arroyo, the Minutewomen’s second scorer in triple jump, was seventh with a leap of 36 feet, 2 inches.
Sophomore Jada Harris improved upon her New England qualifying time in 60 meter hurdles, racing to fourth, clocking in at 8.74 seconds.
Senior Colleen Sands placed third in the mile, meeting the New England standard with a time of 5 minutes, 5.08 seconds. Freshman Caroline Clark also scored in the event, finishing eighth in 5:14.56.
Freshman Bryanna Rivers qualified for the New England Championships in 1,000m, posting a time of 2:57.10 to finish fourth.
Sophomore Lindsay Witt rounded out UMass’ individual scorers on the track, taking eighth in 200m at 25.90 seconds.
Witt, Rivers, freshman India Johnson and junior Olivia Weir teamed up to take second in the 440 yard relay, combining for a time of 3 minutes, 57.96 seconds.
The Minutewomen will be back in action next Fri., Jan. 19, when the squad will head to Roxbury, Massachusetts for the Joe Donahue Indoor Games, scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m.