Behind six individual conference titles, Elon University women’s track and field recorded its highest finish ever at the Southern Conference Championship meet. Elon placed third out of 11 teams at the meet with a final score of 131 points April 26-27 in Spartanburg, S.C.
On Saturday, sophomore Tereza Novotna won the 3,000-meter steeplechase event with a time of 10:41.08. Novotna, who finished second in the 2013 event, won the race by 10 seconds over University of North Carolina at Greensboro senior Chelsea Sumney.
Five more titles followed on Sunday. In the high jump, sophomore Megan Kirschling established a new SoCon record by clearing the bar at 5’10.5”. Freshman Breanna Warren won the discus throw at 153’2”, a new Elon record.
Senior Bria Bell won the 400-meter run with a time of 53.95. Her previous personal best was a 55.14. Elon rounded out its winning by taking both hurdle events. Sophomore Sydney Griffin won the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.83, and sophomore Jennifer Esposito set a new school record at 59.60 in the 400-meter hurdles event.
Elon’s 4x100 meter relay team gained all-SoCon accolades with a third place finish, and freshman Kimberly Johansen earned All-SoCon freshman team honors with a personal best 4:31.95 in the 1,500-meter.
Freshman Carrie Abraham was named to the All-SoCon freshman team in the triple jump with a mark of 39’10.5”.
Two more Elon team members earned All-SoCon distinction, senior shot putter Charlise Morgan and senior distance runner Allyson Oram. Morgan recorded a throw of 45’8.50”, good for third place. Oram finished top three in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 17:08.32.
The overall winner of the event was Samford University, with a total of 166.5 points.