By Kelly Tuckwiller for MSNsportsNET.com
February 20, 2010
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University track and field team is currently in first place after day one of the BIG EAST Championships at the Armory in New York City.
“I think today was evidence that the girls came to compete,” coach Sean Cleary says. “We made some interesting moves from where some of the girls were ranked nationally this week and I am proud of the girls and very excited with the outcome of day one.”
Seniors Marie-Louise Asselin and Clara Grandt led the team, as they took the top spots in the 5,000-meter race.
In her first time running the 5,000-meter race indoors, Asselin finished in first with a time of 15:58.15, while Grandt followed in second (16:04.24). Both times were school records as well as NCAA automatic qualifying times.
Sophomore Sarah Anne Brault also competed in the event, posting a sixth-place finish with an NCAA provisional time of 16:45.60, while junior Ahna Lewis finished 17th (17:28.40).
Junior Chelsea Carrier, a Buckhannon, W.Va., native, also had an excellent day as she finished first in the pentathlon with 3,994 points, after placing first in the 60-meter hurdles (8:48) and the long jump (5.92 meters), third in the high jump (1.68 meters), fourth in the 800-meter run (2:25.61) and ninth in the shot put (10.61 meters).
Also scoring points for the team in day one was the distance medley relay of Keri Bland, April Rotilio, Kaylyn Christopher and Jessica O’Connell that finished in third with an NCAA provisional and BIG EAST record time of 11:14.95.
In the long jump, sophomore Meghan Mock and Carrier placed in sixth (5.90 meters) and seventh (5.83), respectively, to score team points for the Mountaineers.
WVU is set to complete action tomorrow at the Armory with competition beginning at 8 a.m.
For complete results from day one of the BIG EAST Championships visit www.BIGEAST.org.