The men’s and women’s track teams continued their season at the Samford Multi and Invitational at the Birmingham Crossplex in Birmingham, Ala. on Friday and the Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson, S.C. on Friday and Saturday.
“We had a solid weekend across the board. We saw over a dozen personal bests and school records by Eddie Mulder in the 3k and Theresa Ford in the pentathlon,” Head Coach John Curtin said.
Senior Theresa Ford set school records in the high jump and in the overall indoor pentathlon during the Samford Multi and Invitational on Friday. Ford was the top Division III finisher at the meet in the pentathlon with a score of 3,187 points, beating the previous school record of 3,021 points set by former Eagle Katie Sheehan in 2009. Her score was good for a fourth place finish, and was the 11th best score in Division III this season.
Ford’s best event was the high jump, where she cleared the bar at 1.68 meters. This matched her own indoor school record that she set twice last season. The jump netted Ford a first-place finish with a score of 830 points. Ford now ranks fifth in Division III in the high jump this season, and best among all University Athletic Association (UAA) competitors.
“Theresa Ford posted a top-15 national mark in her first pentathlon, and also picked up what looks like a qualifier with a 5’6″ high jump in the midst of the competition,” Curtin said. Not too many people can put up a score of 3187 their first time out, but as talented and competitive as Theresa is, I’m not surprised.”
Emory had a group of athletes compete during the first day of the Tiger Paw Invitational on Friday night.
Junior Meredith Lorch recorded a career-best time in the indoor 5,000 meter run with a time of 19:09.03 for a 10th place finish.
Sophomore Kate Wilson and junior Melissa Notis finished 19th after clearing the bar at a height of 1.50 meters.
Sophomore Tyler Cooke led the men on the first day finishing 11th in the 5,000 meter run with a season best time of 15:48.96.
Emory wrapped up competition at the Tiger Paw Invitational on Saturday.
Junior Edward Mulder set a school record in the 3,000 meter run with a time of 8:37.77. The time beat the previous school record of 8:38.12 set in 2010. Mulder’s time was the fastest by a UAA competitor this season. He finished fifth overall in the event.
“I knew that the 3000-meter race at Clemson would provide me with the opportunity to break the record … the race went very well, and will provide me with a good set-up for our conference championship in two weeks,” Mulder said.
Head Coach John Curtin was very pleased with Mulder’s performance.
“Eddie Mulder has been on a tear … I’m really happy for him to get the 3k record. There isn’t a harder working guy anywhere, and I’m glad to see it paying off,” Curtin said.
On the men’s side, freshman Adam Rabushka led the way in the 400-meter dash with a time of 51.25 seconds. His time was the third fastest in the UAA.
Junior Ankush Mohile recorded a career best time in the 60 meter hurdles finishing 15th with a mark of 8.89 seconds, the fastest by an Eagle. Sophomore Patrick Crews finished sixth 800 meter run with a time of 1:57.90.
Junior Alex Fleischhacker was the Eagles’ top finisher in the mile with a career best time of 4:26.74.
Senior Kaele Leonard and sophomore Debora Adjibaba recorded top times in the 400 meter dash. Leonard finished sixth overall with a time of 57.66 seconds, the third fastest time both by a Division III competitor this season and in the program’s history. Adjibaba finished 10th with a time of 58.33 seconds.
Leonard and Adjibaba teamed up with sophomore Electra Korn and freshman Alexandra Aiello for the 4×400 meter relay. The relay team ran a time of 3:57.11, the fourth fastest in Emory history.
“Our women’s 4×400 was outstanding. When you have two nationally-ranked 400 runners like Kaele and Debora on both ends, you know you have a chance at a solid group,” Curtin said. “Today Electra and Alex, running the number two and three legs, came through in a big way to put us up there with the best nationally.”
Sophomore Hannah Moriarty finished 16th in the 3,000 meter run, scoring the second fastest raw time by an Emory woman this season. Sophomore Stephanie Crane finished 12th in the mile run with a time of 5:12.06.
Freshman Janay Harris led the Eagles in the field events by throwing 10.16 meters in the shot put, placing 29th.
“The kids are really starting to come on now and I hope we can keep building on it going into the championship season around the corner,” Curtin said.
The Eagles will split the squad next weekend, competing at the JDL Fast Track and at the University of the South on Saturday, Feb. 16. They will be the Eagles’ final meets before the 2013 UAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
– By Alexander Del Re
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