Virginia Beach, Va. – The Elon University indoor track & field team lagged 18.5 points behind Northeastern after day one of the CAA Indoor Track & Field Championship at Virginia Beach Sports Center. But the Phoenix struck early on day two, took the lead with an inspired effort in the mile, and then held off a late charge from Hampton to win the inaugural CAA Indoor Track & Field Championship Thursday.
Elon won just one event championship, in that aforementioned mile, but scored points in all 18 events over the course of the two days. That depth paid off for the Phoenix, a team that entered the meet in an uncharacteristic underdog role. Elon has won two consecutive CAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships and four straight CAA Cross Country Championships, but was ranked third in the CAA heading into the meet.
FULL RESULTS
RECAP ELON'S FIRST DAY AT THE CAA CHAMPIONSHIP
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Entering day two of the CAA Championship Thursday, Northeastern led with 57 points, while Elon had 38.5 to sit in second place. But the first running event of the day, the mile, flipped the meet in a hurry.
- Jette Beermann won Elon's only individual CAA title with a 4:56.43 mile for 10 points. But teammates Anna Twomey, Leandra Lorenz and Hannah Miller also scored big for the Phoenix by finishing third, fourth and sixth. In total, Elon earned 24 points to take the lead.
- Elon built upon the lead as Kalli'Ana Botelho finished fifth in the 60 hurdles and Piper Jons added a school record 54.28 in the 400 for a runner-up finish.
- Reese Webster added a school record in the 60 (7.57 seconds) to finish third and Meghan Wilcox placed fourth.
- While Elon continued to pile on points in the 800, shot put, 200, triple jump and 3000, Hampton surged. The Pirates scored 33 combined points in the triple jump and shot put to close to within 3.5 points of Elon with just two events to go.
- In the pivotal 3200 relay, Elon's team of Leandra Lorenz, Emily Alps, Stephanie Lair and Alison Hodgson stayed near the front throughout and finished as runner-up with a time of 9:03.52. Hampton, on the other hand, failed to place among the top eight scoring teams, clinching the team title for Elon.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
- As mentioned above, Jette Beermann earned the gold in the mile with a time of 4:56.43. She added a third-place finish in the 3000 as well at 9:39.72.
- Reese Webster broke her own school record in the 60 with a time of 7.57 seconds, good for third place. She set the time to beat earlier this year with a 7.60 race.
- A day after breaking the school record in the 200, Piper Jons did the same in the 400 with a time of 54.28 seconds to end as CAA runner-up. She also had a fourth place finish in the 200.
- Linn Hertz Saebboe set a personal best in the triple jump with a leap of 39-feet-7 (12.06m). That distance ranks third in school history.
- The 3200 relay team of Leandra Lorenz, Emily Alps, Stephanie Lair and Alison Hodgson not only clinched the team championship, but ran the third-fastest time in program history at 9:03.52.
- In the 60 hurdles, Kalli'Ana Botelho ran a season-best time of 8.69 seconds, good for fourth in program history. A transfer from Quinnipiac, it was Botelho's fastest time in an Elon uniform.
- Lauryn Carlton set a PR in the shot put with a distance of 46-4.75 (14.14m), fourth-best in program history and sixth at the CAA Championship. Chelsea Wallace also threw a personal best at 43-3 (13.18m), good for ninth in school history.
- In the 3000, Beermann placed third as previously mentioned but Maggie Springer added a seventh place finish and a personal best time of 9:43.21 to move to eighth in school history. Madison Synowiec set a PR as well in 9:55.60.
UP NEXT
- Elon turns its attention to the outdoor season in an attempt to sweep the cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field CAA championships in one year.
- The two-time defending CAA Outdoor champions will begin with the 49er Classic, hosted by Charlotte, March 16-18, as well as the Bob Davidson Invitational at High Point March 17-18.
CAA Indoor Track & Field Championship
Team Scoring – Elon 129.83, Hampton 121.33, Northeastern 93, North Carolina A&T 71, William & Mary 58, Delaware 51,
Towson 51, Monmouth 42.5, UNCW 30.83, College of Charleston 24.5, Stony Brook 23, Hofstra 4
60 – 3.
Reese Webster 7.57, 4.
Meghan Wilcox 7.64
200 – 4.
Piper Jons 24.42
400 – 2.
Piper Jons 54.28
800 – 3.
Stephanie Lair 2:13.91, 6.
Alison Hodgson 2:15.41
Mile – 1.
Jette Beermann 4:56.43, 3.
Anna Twomey 4:58.54, 4.
Leandra Lorenz 4:59.57, 6.
Hannah Miller 5:01.88, 9.
Jasmine Young 5:05.36
3000 – 3.
Jette Beermann 9:39.72, 7.
Maggie Springer 9:43.21, 8.
Anna Twomey 9:43.89, 14.
Madison Synowiec 9:55.60, 18.
Hannah Miller 10:06.55
60 hurdles – 5.
Kalli'Ana Botelho 8.69
1600 relay – 4.
Meghan Wilcox,
Aliya Barrows,
Riley Drometer,
Piper Jons 3:48.53
3200 relay – 2.
Leandra Lorenz,
Emily Alps,
Stephanie Lair,
Alison Hodgson 9:03.52
Triple jump – 4.
Linn Hertz Saebboe 39-7 (12.06m)
High jump – t8.
Hannah Schonhoff 5-2.5 (1.59m), t12.
Lizzie Lopez 5-2.5 (1.59m), 15.
Kalli'Ana Botelho 5-2.5 (1.59m)
Shot put – 6.
Lauryn Carlton 46-4.75 (14.14m), 11.
Chelsea Wallace 43-3 (13.18m)
-- ELON --
