HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison track & field registered four event titles and 12 top-three finishes at the JMU Invite on a windy Saturday at Sentara Park.
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Junior
Kaia Putman notched victories in the 100-meter (11.55, +3.1m/s) and 200-meter dashes (24.60, +2.5m/s). The former is good for second in program history in wind-aided times, behind
Alexys Taylor's 11.50 (+3.8m/s) effort from 2017.
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Elsewhere on the track, sophomore
Faithe Ketchum picked up a win in the 3,000-meters, crossing the finish line in 10:29.56, followed by fifth-year
McKenzi Watkins in second (10:38.17).
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Senior
Erica Moolman dominated the pole vault competition with a mark of 3.80m (12-5.5) for first.
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How It Happened
Track
- Freshman Alayna Gifford earned silver with a personal-best 2:18.11 in the 800-meter race, while junior Evie Bell finished with a season-best 2:19.41 for third.
- In the 400-meter dash, junior Holly Mpassy placed third (55.10), while freshman Esther Saint-Germain recorded a PR of 58.81. Later in the day, Mpassy rounded out the top five in the 200-meter dash (24.89, +2.5m/s).
- Freshman Kristin Giordano and junior Sofia Terenziani finished third (4:50.98) and fourth (4:54.86) in the 1,500-meters, respectively.
- Freshman Sarah Cestare rounded out the top five in the 3,000-meter race in 11:01.13.
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Field
- Sophomore Gracen King cleared 1.66m (5-5.25) in the high jump for second, while Jorja Rich went a season-best 1.58m (5-2.25).
- Senior Jordan Venning also earned silver with an 11.98m (39-3.75) effort in the triple jump, second to Diesui Armond of Hampton's 12.14m (39-10) leap.
- Also in the pole vault, sophomore Madelyn Moles finished with a mark of 3.35m (10-11.75) for fifth.
- Junior Ryann Bennett registered a throw of 41.02m (134-7) for sixth in the discus.
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Relays
- The quartet of sophomore Kadence Wilson, Putman, Virginia Keys and Mpassy turned in a time of 46.52 for third in the 4x100-meter relay, behind George Mason (2nd – 46.50) and Michigan State (1st – 45.78).
- Later, Keys, Wilson, Saint-Germain and Mpassy placed fifth in the 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:50.68.
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Up Next
The Dukes will remain in the commonwealth for the Virginia Challenge, April 19-20. Action on Friday in Charlottesville is scheduled for 1:45 p.m. at Lannigan Field.