Tribe Wins Four Events
NEWPORT NEWS, VA - Four-time defending CAA Champion William and Mary women's track and field started its 2004-05 campaign today by winning four events at Christopher Newport's Lid-Lifter. More impressive was the Tribe's five ECAC qualifications earned at the meet, which normally does not see the fastest or farthest performances as athletes break off the rust from several months since their last competition, but W&M came into the meet on fire with several athletes running personal records to start the new season.Senior Jackie Kosakowski (Sauquoit, NY) led an impressive showing for the College in the 5,000m, winning the event to lead a Tribe sweep of the top four positions as all four runners broke the ECAC standard in the event. Kosakowski impressed by running a 16:58.72, a personal record time by 18 seconds, in her first action of the season, certainly showing no signs from rust thanks to an excellent cross country campaign that included All-Southeast and All-CAA honors that kept the senior fine tuned. Finishing second to Kosakowski was sophomore Julia Cathcart (Starkville, MS), who clocked a strong 17:03.24 for her first run of the season to qualify for ECACs. Fellow sophomore Meghan Bishop (Blue Bell, PA) and junior Kristyn Shiring (Stafford, VA) finished third and fourth, respectively, with times of 17:17.39 and 17:19.15. It was Bishop's debut in the 5,000m while Shiring's time was a personal best by 23 seconds as both qualified for ECACs.
Freshman Allie Lewis (Roanoke, VA) had a strong debut and continued the Tribe's dominance in the distance events by leading a sweep of the top three positions in the mile for the Green and Gold. Lewis clocked a 5:15.19 for the distance, edging out fellow freshman Emily Gousen (Arlington, VA) who claimed second (5:20.83) and junior Lydia Malley (Arlington, VA) in third. Junior Loren Cutright (Montpelier, VA) then won the 3,000m by timing a 10:36.82, a career-fast pace by some 13 seconds. W&M also claimed second in the 4x800m relay.
In the infield, senior Charlotte LaRoche (Centreville, VA) won the pole vault with a height of 12'4" to comfortably break the ECAC standard. Sophomore Brenna Blevins (Pulaski, VA) claimed third in the high jump by tieing a career-best 5'4" while senior Cassidy Harris (Geneva, IL) turned in a solid day of throwing with a runner-up showing in the weight throw (50'9.25") and a third-place finish in the shot (43'2.5").