Hazzard Leads Virginia Women on Opening Day of Keydet Invitational
LEXINGTON, Va.- Redshirt freshman Halle Hazzard (Commack, N.Y.) recorded the second-fastest 60m dash time in school history on Friday (Jan. 18) as the Virginia women’s track and field team opened competition at the Keydet Invitational at the Corps Physical Training Facility in Lexington, Va.
Hazzard recorded a time of 7.38 in the semifinals to earn the top spot heading into tomorrow’s finals.
Additionally, redshirt seniors Bridget Guy (Greensburg, Pa.) and Mia Barron (Minnetonka, Minn.) both set a facility record as Guy topped the pole vault, clearing a height of 4.05m (13’3.5″) and Barron paced the triple jump with a mark of 12.36m (40’6.75″).
“Our second meet of the 2019 season here at VMI’s amazing indoor track and field facility has served as a great opportunity to get much needed work,” assistant coach Mario Wilson said. “It was definitely a grind it out type of day with some larger field sizes in most events. Highlighting the day was Halle (Hazzard) and Gabi (Hayes). Both established new collegiate bests today. Halle continues to hammer fast times and is exuding tremendous confidence in her craft. Gabi looked amazing today on her way to a first-place victory. Mia (Barron) and Bridget (Guy) rounded out the evening with wins in the remaining jumping events, while the trio of Ciara (Leonard), Alexis (Woodley) and Andrenette (Knight) advanced easily through the rounds of the hurdles. I am looking forward to seeing the hot streak continue tomorrow.”
Sophomore Gabrielle Hayes (Woodbridge, Va.) paced the high jump, tying the facility record with a career-best jump of 1.70m (5’7″), while senior Carly Feyerabend (Mechanicsville, Va.) finished fourth with a height of 1.60m (5’3″).
Three Cavaliers advanced to tomorrow’s finals in the 60m hurdles as senior Ciara Leonard (Elkins Park, Pa.) led the event with a first-place finish and a time of 8.59. Junior Andrenette Knight (Morant Bay, Jamaica) finished fifth in the event, recording a time of 8.71, while junior Alexis Woodley (Chesapeake, Va.) finished seventh with a time of 8.77.
In addition to her performance in the 60m hurdles, Knight ran a time of 1:14.66 in the 500m run to finish second. Junior Anna Jefferson (Warren, Mich.) followed, capturing a time of 1:15.12 for fifth place, while senior Alana Herran (Orange, N.J.) ran a time of 1:16.13 to finish eighth.
Freshman Zoe Rice (Ashburn, Va.) placed fourth in the triple jump, recording a jump of 11.50m (37’8.75″).
Senior Jade Baker (North Richland Hills, Texas) recorded the fourth-best performance in the weight throw with a throw of 16.91m (55’5.75″), while sophomore Eva Mustafic (Zagreb, Croatia) placed eighth with a mark of 16.49m (54’1.25″).
Junior Tedi DeMaria (Feura Bush, N.Y.) cleared a height of 3.45m (11’3.75″) to finish fifth in the pole vault.
Virginia will return to action tomorrow for day two of the Keydet Invitational with the team’s first event beginning at 10 a.m.