Jan. 12, 2013
New York, N.Y. - After more than a month off, the Loyola University Maryland indoor track and field team got a solid start to the 2013 season in the New York City Gotham Cup. Though there was no team scoring, the Greyhounds had a successful afternoon with two top-ten finishes, and an ECAC qualifier.
"We had a really good meet," said Loyola head coach Amy Horst. "I'm pleased with where we are at this point in the season."
Jackie D'Antonio finished eighth in the 1,000 meter, with an ECAC qualifying time of 2:54.69.
"That's the first qualifying time we have had this early in the season," Horst said.
D'Antonio also led Kelly Maguire, Lisa Potter, and Alyssa Dorney, to a fifth place finish in the women's distance medley.
With illness and holiday break, the team has had little opportunity to work on relay teams, but it did not show in New York. The Greyhound team of Marissa Buccellato, Megan Trainer, Jacqueline Porter, and Lisa Potter finished in the top-20 of the 4x400 relay, just above John's Hopkins and Montclair State.
Individually, a number of Greyhounds broke personal records, including Maria Hacker who posted a career-best 2.60m in the pole vault. Teammate Noreen Petrash finished just two spots ahead of Hacker, tied for 12th in the event.
Kellyanne Bondulich and Kelly Maguire both ran with D'Antonio in the 1,000 meter, breaking their personal best times at 3:10.62 and 3:05.59, respectively.
Eileen Pastyrnak was the top 60m-dash sprinter for Loyola, finishing in 32nd with a time of 8.21. Jeanine Gill finished 15 spots behind Pastyrnak, with a time of 8.38.
Former Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Performer of the Week, Uchechukwu Emili took 17th in the weight throw (34-02.25), and Alessandra Piscitelli finished two spots behind (31-05.25), while Emili and Courtney Willeford finished 23rd and 24th in the shot put.
The Greyhounds return to action, when the team travels to State College, Pa., to compete at Penn State National.
