GEORGETOWN, Texas – HAILEY RODRIGUEZ opened the spring outdoor women's track and field season on the right foot, leading three Hilltoppers in the top-10 in the 400, setting a new program record.
Rodriguez clocked a 56.98 to win the event, beating her previous record time of 57.43 at the Texas Invitational last April. She now owns the top five times in the 400 in St. Edward's women's track and field history.
YAMILA CARTWRIGHT placed fourth at 58.17, and
KARLY WEYAND in sixth at 1:00.75.
JASMINE COOKE and
TORI PONCE finished one after the other in 19th and 20th at 1:04.45 and 1:04.66.
"We had a lot of strong performances, but Hailey showed out. It started with a big school record in the 400, but she also brought it in the 100 and 200," St. Edward's Head Track & Field Coach Steven Cary says. "I'm proud of how far she's come and where she's headed."
Rodriguez placed 11th in her first collegiate 100, clocking a 12.98.
TORI PONCE and Myosia Virgin finished back-to-back in 29th and 30th at 13.88 and 13.90. She placed fourth in the 200 at 26.12. Cartwright, Weyand, and Cooke also finished in the top 10, placing seventh, ninth, and 10th at 26.51, 26.75, and 26.94.
DELANEY LONG and
SAMMY SALAZAR earned top-10 finishes in the 1500. Long finished third at 4:50.97, and Salazar clocked a 5:04.68 to place eighth.
BRYN PETERS gave the Hilltoppers a third top-20 finish in 14th at 5:10.49.
TAYLOR LATZA and
MEGAN FERRELL rounded out St. Edward's lineup in 25th and 27th at 5:31.96 and 5:32.59.
SARAH WILLSON raced to second place in the 800, clocking a 2:18.52. Long earned seventh at 2:26.96. Salazar and Peters finished back-to-back in 11th and 12th at 2:34.57 and 2:35.73.
ADRIANA RODRIGUEZ ran a 2:50.06 to place 22nd.
CAROLINE WILDRICK and
JORDAN SANDERS led St. Edward's in the 5K with third and fourth-place finishes. Wildrick clocked an 18:47.57 and 18:59.00.
VICTORIA HOYT placed seventh at 19:21.63, and
SYDNEY SMITH in 10th at 19:37.22.
MYLA CASTILLO ran a 20:10.95 for 13th.
MAGGIE RITTMEYER finished in 26th at 21:33.72.
"I'm happy with the effort today. I think everyone enjoyed getting outside and running a 400-meter oval again," Cary exclaims. "The ladies showed grit from the 100 to the 5K. I'm looking forward to a couple weekends off and then getting ready to show out at Texas State later this month."
St. Edward's will compete in the Charles Austin Classic hosted by Texas State from Thursday, March 27, through Saturday, March 29.
