THE BASICS:
- Event: NEICAAA Outdoor Championships
- Finish 5th/40 | 42 points
- Location: New Haven Conn.
- The Lead: Junior Kialeigh Marston (Standish, Maine / Bonny Eagle) and senior Abby Jones (Arlington, Mass. / Arlington) put up record-breaking performances to lead Assumption to its best-ever finish at the NEICAAA Championships on Saturday afternoon, as the Hounds took fifth overall.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Marston went into the 3000 meter steeplechase looking to improve on her school-record time of 10:46.74, which was ranked 24th in the nation. The junior did just that, shattering the mark with a new school record of 10:35.74. The time moved her up to 12th in the nation in an event where the top-20 traditionally are selected for the DII National Championships.
- Jones, meanwhile, came through with a score of 4,988 points in the heptathlon to break her own school record by 18 points. The total also moved her up to 13th in the nation, putting her in a position to qualify for the NCAA Championships as the top 16 qualified in 2018. Sophomore Emma Santee (Westerly, R.I. / Westerly) took eighth in the heptathlon with a score of 4105 points.
- Freshman Victoria Steffon (Holden, Mass. / Wachusett Regional) put up a record-breaking performance in the 100 meters finals, taking second overall with her time of 11.97 seconds. The time broke her previous school record of 12:05 set last weekend. She then took third in the 200 meters with a time of 24.94 seconds.
- Emily Casella (Athol, Mass. / Athol) earned a fifth place finish in the shot put with her toss of 13.57 meters. Mikaylah Schwartz (Dracut, Mass. / Dracut) placed 11th in the event with her throw of 12.46 meters. Casella then took 11th in the discus with a throw of 38.41 meters.
- Assumption's 4x400 relay placed 14th with its time of 3:57.91. Freshman Claudia Koontz (Concord, Mass. / Concord-Carlisle) led off, followed by Maura Geoghegan (Foxborough, Mass. / Foxborough), Madeleine Iassogna (Marietta, Ga. / Blessed Trinity Catholic) and Elena DelloRusso (Milford, Mass. / Milford).
INSIDE THE RESULTS:
- Assumption took fifth place overall with its total of 42 points, tying with Southern Connecticut who also had 42 points. The total was the best for any Division II or III at the meet and edged both Franklin Pierce (38) and Stonehill (35). The fifth place finish is the best in program history.
UP NEXT
- Marston & Jones will find out their NCAA Championship fate on Tuesday evening when the official list of qualifiers for the NCAA Division II Championships is released. The 2019 NCAA DII Championships will take place in Kingsville, Texas from May 23-25.
STAY CONNECTED:
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