DEDHAM, Mass. – A one-two finish in the 10,000-meters for juniors Maria Ahm and Maggie Springer closed out the Elon University women's track and field team's first day at the Colonial Athletic Association Outdoor Championships on Friday, May 6, at the Solomon Outdoor Track.
 
Ahm clocked a time of 35:13.09 to win the 10,000-meters, her first league title in the event. Springer was the runner-up with a time of 35:15.83 while Lizzie Vinci also scored points for the Phoenix as she finished sixth with a time of 37:23.79.
 
Kaitlin McGoogan was Elon's first medalist winner of the meet as the junior took third in the hammer throw with a toss of 56.91m. Lauryn Carlton was fourth in the event as the junior threw a new personal-record of 53.25m. Kristine Strazdite also set a new personal-best with her throw of 50.79m in ninth overall.
 
Grace Dieleman garnered a fourth-place standing in the javelin throw as the Kansas City, Mo., native posted a throw of 40.04m. Hollie Thurgood set a new personal-record in the event with her throw of 35.21m in seventh.
 
Alexa Mark was Elon's top finisher in the long jump, coming in sixth overall with a leap of 5.51m. Blythe Hehmeyer was ninth in the event with her new personal-record of 5.27m. Madison George was fifth in the pole vault with her cleared height of 3.70m.
 
Elon also set itself in good position on the final day of the meet with several athletes qualifying for the final rounds of select events. In the 1,500-meters prelims, the Phoenix had all five of its punch their ticket to the final round led by Anna Twomey's prelim-best time of 4:32.96. Jette Beermann (4:33.46), Leandra Lorenz (4:36.14), Hannah Miller (4:33.71) and Hannah Preeo (4:36,74) will join Twomey in the final round.
 
Twomey also had the fastest time in the prelims of the 800-meters as she clocked a 2:13.45. Stephanie Lair was second in the preliminary round with her time of 2:13.57. Piper Jons qualified for the finals in the 400-meters with her prelim time of 55.78. Aliya Barrows also reached the final round in the event with her time of 56.84.
 
Jons was the Phoenix's leader in the prelims of the 200-meters at her time of 24.60. Freshman Meghan Wilcox also qualified for the finals in the 200-meters with her time of 24.64. Wilcox clocked the second-fastest prelim time in the 100-meters at her time of 11.92 to move on to the next round.
 
Thurgood is currently fifth in the heptathlon standings with 2,546 points. The sophomore was sixth in the 100-meter hurdles with her time of 16.37, had a high jump mark of 1.46m, threw 11.61m in the shot put and clocked a time of 27.59 in the 200-meters to round out the first day of the multi-events.

Elon led the team standings after the opening day, scoring 46 points through five events scored. Towson was second with 42 points while Delaware was third with 41 points.
 
ON DECK
The second and final day of the CAA Championships begins at 11:30 a.m. with the women's discus and the 3,000-meter steeplechase kicking off events for Elon.