Women's Track and Field has Strong Showing at Father Diamond Invitational

FINAL RESULTS

MEET: George Mason University's Father Diamond Invitational – (Fairfax, Va.)

THE BASICS: The VCU Women's Track & Field program kicked off its 2013 season traveling to the Father Diamond Invitational in Fairfax, Va. on Saturday. The Rams placed a total of 15 athletes in the top 10 of their events.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Sophomore Alexis Stroman won the women's 60m hurdles race. The Cheltenham, Md. native ran a 8.79, which was just a shy of her own school record time of 8.68. The time also qualified for the ECAC event.
• Following a strong freshman season, sophomore Kiara Porter opened 2013 season with a fourth place finish in the 500m dash, running a 1:14.89. Her time was a personal-best and the school record.
• Running in her first-career collegiate meet, freshman Carina Peter ran a 7.82 60m dash.
• Freshman Briana Ratchford kicked off her collegiate career with a third place throw in the shot put. Ratchford's best throw of the day was 11.9m.
•  The Rams had two top 10 finishers in the women's weight throw. Junior Jaleesa Williams won the event with a throw of 16.14m (ECAC qualifying), while classmate Jessica Williams finished sixth with a throw of 12.8m.
• In the long jump, VCU had a pair of top 10 finishers. Junior Niaimani Aduma garnered fourth place with a jump of 5.33m, and Nneka Ogwu finished 10th with a jump of 4.93m.
• Senior Jennifer McAvoy finished second in the triple jump with a jump of 11.02m.
• In the pole vault, junior Justine Dutton had the second-best jump of the meet with a 3.30m vault.
• The Rams placed three athletes in the top 10 of the high jump. Leading the way was junior Megan Simpson, who recorded a personal record of 1.60m to finish third. Sophomore Amani Harper finished in fourth with a jump of 1.45, while Ogwu placed sixth with a jump of 1.40 (personal record).  

QUOTABLE:
"I was very proud of everyone's effort today. This meet knocked the rust off some of our athletes. We did have a few technical flaws and mental mistakes, but I can expect that since we were coming off of a three week break.
- VCU Head Track and Field Coach Jon Riley

WHAT'S AHEAD:
The Rams continue the indoor season at the Navy Quad in Annapolis, Md. on Jan. 12.