Track and field earns sixth
Women’s team dominates the 3000 meter run
The MIT Women’s Track and Field, which was ranked 11th in the nation in the most recent U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association rankings, officially opened the season at the Harvard Challenge on Friday and Saturday. The Engineers ended the weekend in sixth place with 26.5 points, just a handful of points behind Williams with 34 and Brown with 46.
In the opening event, the 60 meter dash, Veronica Szklarzewski ’15 came in eighth place in 8.19 after qualifying for finals in exactly the same time. Madeleine E. Bairey ’15 completed the 200 meter dash in 26.94, finishing in 14th place just behind Annie Lynch of Williams.
Louise E. van den Heuvel ’14 earned a point for the Engineers in the 1000 meter run when she finished in sixth place with a time of 3:01.50, completing the race less than a tenth of a second ahead of a runner from Brown.
In the mile, Alexandra B. Taylor ’14 added four more points to MIT’s score when she finished third in 5:04.24.
The Engineers’ best showing was in the 3000 meter run, where they earned 11 points total. Elaine D. McVay ’15 came in second place with a time of 10:06.32. She was followed by Allison M. Hallock ’16 in third with a 10:07.70 and Martina A. de Geus ’14 in fifth with 10:25.78.
On the field, Preethi Vaidyanathan ’15 earned a point in the high jump, and Lauren B. Kuntz ’13 earned a point and a half in pole vault.
Szklarzewski was back in action in the triple jump, finishing in seventh place with 10.28 meters. Katarina Ross ’16 came in eighth with 10.24 meters, and Stephanie Birkhimer ’14 was 11th with 9.80 meters.
In the shot put, Isabella R. Stuopis ’16 came away with three points after throwing 13.05 meters, landing in fourth place. Kristine A. Bunker ’14 came in 13th place with 10.98 meters, and Christine Labaza ’14 finished directly behind her in 14th place with 10.83 meters.
MIT will return to the track next weekend when the team travels to Boston University for the Terrier Classic, Friday to Saturday, Jan. 25–26. They will return home on Saturday for the first of two MIT Co-ed Invites.