READING, Pa. – Widener women's track and field repeated as MAC Indoor Track and Field Champions with 177 team points and gold medals. The championships took place at The PLEX Fieldhouse at Alvernia University. The Pride have won the MAC Championships in 1994, 2023, and 2024.
OF NOTE
"It's an honor to coach this group of women," said head women's track and field coach
Tim Wilson. "To be able to continue the tradition of winning here at Widener University is something special. I want to thank everyone for believing in me, and it's truly special to be able to watch our athletes compete at postseason Regionals and NCAA Championships."
Kayla Robinson – Field Athlete of the Year
Tim Wilson - Coach of the Year
Chuck Butz – Women's Assistant Coach of the Year
DAY 1 – FRIDAY (51 Total Points | 1st Place)
Opening the meet was
Maria Muzzarelli and
Mariam Koita in the 60-meter dash prelims. Muzzarelli (7.83) qualified for the finals in second while Koita (7.87) came in at third.
Gabby Nye returned to the 5000-meter run after taking first last season. Nye would run a gold medal time of 17:50.99 with an average of 44 seconds per 200. Liz Egan ran a 18:39.39 to take third overall while averaging a 45 second 200.
The 4x200 relay saw a silver medal as Muzzarelli (23.96), Koita (28.16),
Erica Thomas (29.77), and
Kelly Barr (25.82) saw a 1:47.69 final time.
Donna Holt,
Olivia DeVito,
Theresa Kervick, and
Kathryn Long took fourth in the 4000-meter distance medley relay. The quad clocked a 12:51.39 to fall just eight seconds behind Messiah's quad.
Savannah Steger took home a gold medal in the pole vault with a 3.40-meter height. Her 3.40 vault would just miss her 3.41 personal best.
In the long jump, Robinson took fourth overall as she would mark a 5.20-meter jump.
Isabel Rodriguez saw a silver medal in the weight throw. Rodriguez marked a personal best with a 14.81-meter throw. She would beat her existing record of a 14.52-meter mark.
DAY 2 – SATURDAY (177 Total Points | 1st Place)
Muzzarelli (7.63) and Koita (7.88) took first and third respectively in the 60-meter finals. The 7.63 time from Muzzarelli was a career-best.
Muzzarelli (25.67) and Barr (26.58) came in second and fifth, respectively, in 200 meters.
Barr came in first for 400 meters with 59.65. She was the only one in the race to go under one minute.
Nye came in first in the mile with a time of 5:03.27, nearly three seconds faster than second place.
The quartet of
Emma Schultz,
Elise Daniel, Thomas, and Barr clocked in at 4:11.78 in the 4x400 relay, which was good for a silver medal.
The Pride had three athletes come in the top five in the pentathlon. Robinson, Kervick, and
Sydni Bell came in first, second, and fifth respectively.
Egan (10:30.75) and Long (10:47.61) came in third and fifth, respectively, in 3000 meters.
Muzzarelli came in second for 200 meters with a time of 25.67. That was 0.71 seconds off the first-place recipient.
Robinson took home first in shot put with 13.39m. She got AARTFC qualifications. Robinson also came in second in triple jump.
Overall, the 177 points the Pride scored is second all-time in points scored in an indoor championship meet behind Moravian in 2001 (182). The MAC records go back to 1992.
UP NEXT
Widener returns to Chester, Pa. for their final preparations for the AARTFC Championships held in Nazareth, N.Y. This year's championship is set for Friday and Saturday, March 1-2.
