CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Competing in their first scored meet of the 2005 outdoor track and field season, the Virginia Commonwealth's women's squad earned a fifth-place showing out of the 18 teams competing at the Lou Onesty/Milton G. Abramson Invitational, Saturday, at the University of Virginia. The squad earned some of their best marks of the year, led by junior Yvette Simmons' (Newport News, Va./Denbigh) leap of 39-7.75 in the triple jump.

Simmons' mark earned her fourth place overall out of 18 competitors. In other action for the Rams, the 4x100m relay team placed third with its season-best time of 47.54.

A large chunk of the team's 40 points were earned in the throwing events. In the shot put, senior Fallon Wilson (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) and sophomore Ashley Rogers (Chesapeake, Va./Deep Creek) earned fifth and sixth-place finishes, respectively. Wilson scored a mark of 40-7.75, while Rogers followed in the standings with a throw of 39-8.75. Freshman Nikki Arrington (Richmond, Va./Manchester), pictured, placed sixth in the discus with a mark of 122-5, while Wilson earned an eight-place finish.

Arrington also earned the squad's best mark of the year in the hammer throw with her sixth-place toss of 137-0, while senior Jennell Holmes (Yorktown, Va./York) scored a personal-best 134-3 to give her an eight-place mark.

The Rams fared well in the mid-distance events as well. Junior Kristina Rios (Arlington, Va./Wakefield) ran a 2:19.22 in the 800m, while freshman Danielle Williams (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem) ran a 4:49.09 in the 1500m. Both times were the fastest by any Ram all season.

During the 3000m steeplechase junior Emily Thompson (Crozet, Va./Western Albemarle) scored a season-best 11:43.85 to give her fourth place.

Next up for VCU will be the Colonial Athletic Association Track and Field Championships, April 22-23, at George Mason University.