The track and field teams competed in two meets this weekend, sending a limited split squad to both the War Eagle Invitational at Auburn University (Ala.) and the Mountain Laurel Invitational at the University of the South (Tenn.) this weekend.

Head Coach John Curtin explained that this was one final tune-up for the UAA Championships.

“The majority of our athletes were off this week ... getting some rest before [the] conference [championships],” Curtin said. “We needed to look at a couple of people one more time before we settle on our rosters for the championship. The meet has often come down to a point or two, and we want to make sure to cover the events the best we possibly can.”

Despite the limited squads at each meet, the results were still significant.
Several runners made impressive seed times at the War Eagle Invitational, boding well for Emory at the UAAs.

Turning in the top performance for Emory at Auburn was Stephen Ellwood, who won the 1500-meter run with a time of 3:55:99, the third-fastest time in the event in the UAA this season.

“A highlight from Auburn had to be Stephen Ellwood’s win,” Curtin said. “He ran a 3:55.99 to give him an excellent seed time for UAA’s.”
Sophomores William Matheson and Ishan Dey also ran well. Matheson finished 20th in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:57.25, while Dey completed the 5000-meter run in 16:24.80 to finish 26th.

“William Matheson ran a PR in the 800 as well, setting him in good shape for the UAA’s,” Curtin said.

On the women’s side, sophomore Morgan Monroe ran the second-fastest 100-meter hurdles in the UAA this season, completing the event in 15.02 seconds.
Other women to turn in strong performances for the Eagles were seniors Hadiza Sa-Aadu, Alix Dyer and Laura Lambie-Hanson.

Sa-Aadu ran the 200-meter dash in 26.15 seconds, while Dyer completed the 400-meter dash in 57.90 seconds. Lambie-Hanson finished the 400-meter hurdles in 1:04.87.

“Morgan is really coming on right now,” Curtin said. “Hadiza Sa-Aadu really blasted a strong 26.15 in the 200 to put her in the picture for that event at [the UAA’s].”

At the Mountain Laurel Invitational in Sewanee, Tenn., the Emory women scored 82 points and the men 56, bringing in fourth-place finishes for both squads.
For the women, junior Theresa Ford won the discus throw with a 37.24 meter toss and finished second in the javelin throw, recording a distance of 31.37 meters.

Junior Leeanne Fagan came in fourth in the shot-put with a mark of 9.74 meters, a season-best toss for the Eagles.

Freshman Elise Viox won the 1500-meter run in 4:59.56.

“At Sewanee we saw ... an excellent personal best by Elise Viox in the 1500,” Curtin said. “It was Elise’s first time under 5:00 and her first collegiate win.”

Sophomores Shaunesse Jacobs and Khadijah Ameen were the top performers in two separate events for the Eagles. Jacobs finished fifth in the 400-meter dash, posting a time of 1:03.34, and ninth in the 200-meter dash, finishing in 27.87 seconds.

Ameen finished third in the long jump and second in the triple jump. She recording a distance of 4.52 meters in the first event and a mark of 9.90 meters in the second.

On the men’s side, freshman David Corrigan finished second in three events: the shot put, in which he recorded a mark of 12.17 meters, the discus throw, where he delivered a 37.41 meters toss and the hammer throw, in which his distance was 34.12 meters.

Sophomore Scott Greathouse won the high jump, clearing an impressive height of 1.83 meters.

Sophomore Courtlandt Perkins finished fourth in the 200-meter dash with a
time of 23.18 seconds. He also finished fourth in the 400-meter dash, finishing the race in 52.12 seconds.

The team will next compete in the UAA Championships.

“We feel very good about our women’s chances of defending their UAA Outdoor title going into the championships this weekend,” Curtin said. “Our guys have sustained some season ending injuries to a couple key athletes — Ben Euwer, possibly the best all round thrower in the UAA, and Mike Moserowitz, one of our most versatile jumper sprinters in the conference. It will be tough to make up their points but I never count our guys out.”

The UAA Championships will take place this weekend in Pittsburgh, Pa.

— Contact Nicola Braginsky.