Dystant Earns Two All-CAC Designations, Women Finish Fifth at CACs
FAIRFAX, Va.--First-year Alexandra Dystant of the Hood College women's track and field team finished second at both 800 meters and the mile at Saturday's first-ever Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) indoor track & field championships held at George Mason University.
In the process, Dystant shattered two school records and earned two all-conference awards.
"I thought Alex ran smart and tough," said head coach Brent Ayer. "She was beaten by a defending conference champion by the narrowest of margins. There's no shame in that. She was not intimidated and was as close to ferocious as I saw today."
The Blazers finish was highlighted by solid distance performances. In addition to Dystant's new marks at 800 meters (2:22.63) and the mile (5:18.44), the Blazers also picked up fifth in the 800 with Gretchen Whitesell's personal best and sixth in the mile with Alyssa Peterson's personal best. Lauren Roesch chopped a remarkable 43 seconds off her school standard in the 5000, running 19:53.89 in placing narrowly missing a spot in the top six. The distance medley relay team of Whitesell, Sophie Grizzle, Hannah Weis and Peterson came home fourth.
"There was some really tough, smart, gritty running by Lauren, Alyssa and Gretchen," Ayer observed. "Lauren was very patient, very focused. Alyssa and Gretchen are proving that they are big meet runners. Both were unseeded coming into their events, just as they were when they won all-CAC designation in cross."
The next highest finishes for the Blazers were recorded by throwing stand-out Meghan Rose, who placed fifth in the shot and sixth in the 20-lb. weight throw. Also adding points were Kathryn Papuchis (sixth in the hurdles) and Grizzle (sixth in the high jump). The women's 4 x 400 relay (Chelsea Young, Megan Cahill, Heather Silveira and Dystant) earned fourth.
In all, six school records and 15 personal bests were recorded. The remaining records were set by Young (28.12 for 200), Grizzle (8.86 meters in the triple jump) and Cahill (2.45 meters in the pole vault).
New personal bests included Caitlin Bean (mile), Sara Bean (800), Cahill (60 meters), Silveira (800), Miriah Stone (400) Nalla Tejera (weight throw), Weis (800) and Jessica Zambreny (mile).
"As a result of Sophie's new mark in the triple jump, every one of the 26 school records that we maintain for indoor track & field has been set by someone who was on the bus today," remarked Ayer. "This is certainly the best assemblage of talent we have ever had, but we just couldn't seem to get all of it deployed today. And, there are still some holes in the lineup that I need to get busy on."
The Blazers finished fifth in the team standings, which were won by Salisbury University. They now move on to the outdoor season in two weeks, opening on March 3 at the Lloyd Sigler Spring Classic, hosted by Salisbury University.
