Winston-Salem, N.C. – The Elon University indoor track and field team posted impressive performances across multiple events and groups as the team opened the 2022-23 season Saturday at the Visit Winston-Salem College Kick-Off at JDL Fast Track.
 
Among the performances, Piper Jons won the 400, while Meghan Wilcox was just .01 seconds shy of her own school record in the 60. The Phoenix also saw a handful of solid collegiate debuts.
 
TOP FINISHERS

• Elon had seven top-five finishes at the meet, including a pair of top three results.
• Jons won the 400 with a time of 56.47 seconds, while teammate Aliya Barrows was fifth in 59.05 seconds. Jon's time was well over a second faster than any other competitor in the meet.
• True freshman Hannah Schonhoff made her college debut and etched her name in Elon's record book. She placed third in the high jump with a mark of 5-feet-6.5 (1.69m), taking third on the Phoenix's top ten record list.
• Meghan Wilcox was fifth in the 60 prelims and then placed fifth in the finals as well. Her prelim time of 7.65 seconds is just .01 seconds off of her own school record. She ran a 7.68 in the finals.
• Kalli'Ana Botelho, a graduate transfer from Quinnipiac, ran the 60 hurdles in 8.86 seconds to finish the prelims in fifth. She did not post a time in the finals.
• In the long jump, Linn Hertz Saebboe competed for the first time since 2021 and ended fifth with a mark of 17-6 (5.33m).
• Madison George placed fifth in the pole vault with a cleared height of 11-5.75 (3.50m).

 
OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

• Hollie Thurgood set a pair of indoor personal bests. She recorded a team-best mark of 37-feet-1 (11.30m) in the shot put and added a distance of 16-8.75 (5.10m) in the long jump.
• Anna Kozlova set a new personal best in the 400 with a time of 61.05 seconds.
• In the weight throw, Kaitlin McGoogan made finals and placed sixth with a strong season-debut effort of 54-11.5 (16.75m).

 
FROM HEAD COACH MARK ELLISTON
"I was pleasantly surprised at our performances all the way around. They were very aggressive today and it paid off! Piper Jons ran an incredible 400 and Meghan Wilcox did the same in the 60. Kalli'Ana Botelho's 60 hurdles was great and Hannah Schonhoff was so solid and poised in her first collegiate meet!
 
"Linn Hertz Saebboe had a great comeback performance in the long jump and Kaitlin McGoogan came through with some first-meet big throws in the weight. This really does bode well as we close this year and look ahead to the January indoor season."
 
ELON RESULTS
Shot put – 11. Hollie Thurgood 37-1 (11.30m), 14. Tristin Oberg 34-2.25 (10.42m)
60 qualifying – 21. Madison George 8.74
Long jump – 5. Linn Hertz Saebboe 17-6 (5.33m), 9. Hollie Thurgood 16-8.75 (5.10m), 12. Alexa Mark 16-2.25 (4.93m)
60 hurdles prelims – 5. Kalli'Ana Botelho 8.86, 10. Ja'mia Johnson 9.30, 24. Lizzie Lopez 10.09
60 prelims – 5. Meghan Wilcox 7.65, 27. Danielle Dyer 8.37
60 finals – 5. Meghan Wilcox 7.68
400 – 1. Piper Jons 56.47, 5. Aliya Barrows 59.05, 7. Riley Drometer 59.40, 13. Anna Kozlova 61.05
High jump – 3. Hannah Schonhoff 5-6.5 (1.69m), 6. Kalli'Ana Botelho 5-2.5 (1.59m), 9. Lizzie Lopez 5-0.5 (1.54m)
Pole vault – 5. Madison George 11-5.75 (3.50m)
Weight throw – 6. Kaitlin McGoogan 54-11.5 (16.75m), 17. Grace Dieleman 41-4.5 (12.61m), 18. Meghan Coyne 39-7.75 (12.08m), 20. Tristin Oberg 38-3.5 (11.67m)