William and Mary dominated the Tribe Invitational this past weekend at Zable Stadium in the first meet of the outdoor season. The women faced Richmond and George Mason, defeating them 256 to 95.5 to 72.5, respectively. The men also won the Tribe Invitational,beating George Mason 171-141 .
The Tribe passed this first test with flying colors, as it had entries finish first or second in 28 different instances, excluding relays. Seven men and 11 women made sure individual medals stayed at Zable with event wins, some earning personal bests. This was an unusual early season showing, as many student-athletes are not yet in peak season form.
“Everyone wants to come out and do their best every weekend, and as a coach you want and hope they do, but a lot of time you’re working in progressions,” director of track and field Stephen Walsh said. “Colonial Relays is in two weeks — there will be another [step in that] progression, a kind of building off that. I think for the first meet and beginning part of the season, I think it was a really good start.”
Everyone wants to come out and do their best every weekend, and as a coach you want and hope they do, but a lot of time you’re working in progressions,” director of track and field Stephen Walsh said. “Colonial Relays is in two weeks — there will be another [step in that] progression, a kind of building off that. I think for the first meet and beginning part of the season, I think it was a really good start.”
It cannot be denied that the College is off to a good start, as the team had three women earn Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference outdoor regional championship meet qualifiers and four men qualify for the outdoor regional Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America meet.
Several performances highlighted the women’s results. Senior Claire Tito took first in the 400-meter dash at 58.48 seconds. Sophomore Molly Applegate finished first in the 1,500-meter race at four minutes, 43.13 seconds. Senior Meghan McGovern finished first in the 3,000 meter run with a time of 9:42.51. Redshirt freshman Margaret Sullivan finished first in the 100-meter hurdles in 15.15 seconds. Senior Breanna Brukalo finished first in the 400-meter hurdles, crossing the line at the 1:03.16 mark. The 4×400 meter relay team, consisting of Tito, Brukalo, senior Ashley Woodards and sophomore Kacey Wheeler dominated with a win in 3:59.53. In field events, freshman Jackie Meeks won the pole vault with the height of 3.6 meters. Junior Susanna Philbrick won the triple jump with a leap of 10.78 meters. Senior Rochelle Evans won the shotput and the discus with throws of 12.95 meters and 42.25 meters, respectively, while sophomore Leia Mistowski crushed in the hammer throw with a toss of 51.23 meters.
[This] leaves me hungry. It’s a good opener for sure. There are some things I could have done better, which you are always going to have that for every meet,” redshirt junior Rochelle Evans said. “I’m just really excited for outdoor.”
The men’s team had fewer wins, but several significant victories. Sophomore Dawson Connell ran the fastest 3,000-meter race in the nation so far this season at 8:18.09. Senior Jomar Aryee cruised to first with a 400-meter hurdle time of 56.08 seconds and ran a leg of the first place 4×400-meter relay team along with junior Michael Wilkens, freshman Duncan Goodrich and junior Troy Sevachko that ran 3:23.51. Senior Derek O’Connell took attempts at the stadium record in the pole vault, but despite falling short he took gold with a clearance of 5.20 meters. Sophomore Preston Richardson won the hammer throw with a throw of 48.54 meters. Redshirt junior Taylor Frenia, competing unattached, would have captured two more wins for the Tribe in the shotput and discus himself. Sophomore Davion Hutt cleaned up the sprints, finishing first in both the 200-meter dash at 22.13 seconds and the 100-meter dash in 10.78 seconds.
“I want to run under 10.6 if I can,” Hutt said. “That’s my biggest goal for this season.”
While this was a small home meet and the wins are not as hard-won as they will be later this year, the strong start continues the pace from the largely successful cross country and indoor seasons that ended with several All-American performances.
“[This] leaves me hungry. It’s a good opener for sure. There are some things I could have done better, which you are always going to have that for every meet,” redshirt junior Rochelle Evans said. “I’m just really excited for outdoor.”
The Tribe will now compete at the Fred Hardy Invitational in Richmond, Va. next weekend, with the action beginning this Friday.