LYNCHBURG, Va. – Third-year coach Mark Elliston’s women’s track and field team opens its indoor season this week when Elon University competes at Liberty University’s Tolsma Indoor Track Center Thursday evening in the Liberty Kickoff Invitational.
“I am really looking forward to seeing what this team can do this week,” Elliston said. “We have been training since mid-September and I believe these young women are ready physically, so I am eager to see how much their determination will kick in as they compete.”
The Phoenix will spring into action at 4:30 p.m. Thursday as Veronica Day, Lauren Hawkesworth and Monique Vines participate in the triple jump while Jordan Lee does battle in the pole vault. Alyssa Girvin, Clara Martin and Justine Robertson will represent Elon in the weight throw at 4:45 p.m. and Rachel Banner, Lee and Courtney Weathers will leap into the high jump at 5:15 p.m.
At 5:15 p.m., Banner, Jacqueline Beliveau, Lee, Andrea March, Rice and Megan Schaefer will sprint in the preliminary round of the 60-meter hurdles. The top eight finishers will meet in the final at 5:55 p.m. At 5:40 p.m., Dana Cataldo, Day, Hawkesworth, Amanda Rice, Sarah Skogen and Vines will race in the preliminary round of the 60-meter dash. The top eight finishers will compete in the final at 6:15 p.m.
Cataldo, Beliveau, Day, Hawkesworth and Vines will spring into the long jump at 6:15 p.m. before March, Amy Salek, Skogen, Melissa Turowski, Geena Vontress and Lauren Wilmer run in the 400-meter dash at 7 p.m. and Taylor Shaw and Jennine Strange race in the 800-meter run at 7:25 p.m. Girvin, Martin and Justine Robertson will do battle in the shot put at 7:30 p.m.
Cataldo, Beliveau, Day, Rice, Salek, Skogen, Turowski and Wilmer will all compete in the 200-meter dash at 7:50 p.m. The Phoenix will also enter three teams in the 4x400-meter relay at 9 p.m.
“We may see some school records fall in a couple of events, so that will definitely be something to watch for,” Elliston said. “This should be a great start for a much improved Phoenix track team.”
