Fitchburg State Hosts Eric Loeschner Invite
Atkinson. Steele and Woolley pace Falcons with DIII NE qualifying marks
FITCHBURG, Mass. – The Fitchburg State women's track & field team hosted the 2016 Eric Loeschner Memorial Invitational this afternoon at Elliot Field.
Freshman Molly Atkinson placed second overall in the javelin with a DIII New England qualifying toss of 34.79 meters, while sophomore Annie Woolley took top honors in the 100 meter hurdles with DIII NE qualifying time of 15.90 seconds to go along with a MASCAC qualifying time of 13.15 seconds in the 100 meter dash.
Junior Melody Francis turned in a post-season qualifying time of 13.75 seconds in the 100m, while in the 800 meter, sophomore Nicole Gaffney (2:25.97) and classmate Shawna Ryan (3:32.04) registered MASCAC qualifying times, placing fourth and eighth respectively.
Sophomore Holly Sessler placed fourth overall in the 400 meter hurdles with a MASCAC qualifying time of 1:10.28, while Woolley notched a post-season qualifying time of 26.56 seconds in the 200m.
In the field, Francis notched a post-season qualifying toss of 9.96m with an eighth place effort in the triple jump, while in the javelin junior Emilee Felton (32.28m) and newcomer Jaquelyn Manyak (29.07m) registered MASCAC qualifying marks.
Junior Morgan Steele posted a DIII NE qualifying toss of 43.17m with a second place effort in the hammer throw as well as qualifying for MASCAC's in the shot put with a ninth place throw of 10.69 meters, while Sessler posted a fifth place finish in the high jump with a post-season qualifying mark of 1.47m.
Junior Michaella Vecchiarelli posted a sixth place finish in the pole vault with MASCAC qualifying height of 2.45m, while Atkinson notched a post-season qualifying mark of 30.96 meters. Francis rounded out the top efforts for the Falcons, placing sixth overall in the long jump with MASCAC qualifying mark of 4.83m.
The Fitchburg State women's track & field team returns to action next Saturday as it competes in the 2016 MASCAC/Alliance Championship Meet, hosted by UMass Dartmouth for an 11 am start.