Cavaliers Handle Business on Second Day of Penn Relays

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field teams continued competition at the prestigious Penn Relays at Franklin Field on Friday (April 26) as Carly Tarentino won the women’s high jump competition and the men’s and women’s distance medley relay (DMR) teams picked up a pair of third-place finishes.

Carly Tarentino continues to impress this season securing the title in the College Women’s High Jump in Philadelphia. Coming in at 1.65m/5-6, Tarentino cleared the first four bars on her first attempt at each height. After clearing new personal-best 1.78m/5-10 with ease, the junior the only competitor remaining in the field. Tarentino continued jumping at what would have been her second personal best of the day at 1.81/5-11.25 had she cleared in three attempts. The Clark, N.J. native set a new personal-best in as many weeks, clearing 1.77m/5-9.75 at the 2024 Virginia Challenge just one week ago. In her first Penn Relays as a collegiate athlete, Tarentino won the high jump competition clearing new personal-best 1.78m/5-10 to remain ranked seventh all-time in Virginia history in the event.

The quartet of Margot Appleton, Alahna Sabbahkan, Esther Seeland and Anna Workman combined efforts in the College Women’s Distance Medley Relay Championship of America to finish third in a time of 10:48.55. Despite narrowly missing the Penn Relays meet record of 10:48.38 set back in 1988 by Villanova, the Cavaliers cruised past the Virginia record in the non-NCAA event and rank fourth all-time in collegiate history. The previous record stood at 10:57.13 set back in 2011 by Morgane Gay, Heather Smith, Lyndsay Harper and Stephanie Garcia.

Appleton led things off for the Cavaliers running 3:15.15 for 1200m to hand off the baton to Sabbahkan in close second. On the 400m leg, Sabbahkan sprinted to a 54.68 split catapulting Virginia into the lead. Seeland maintained control while leading the race to split 2:04.72 for 800m and put Workman in good position on the anchor leg. Workman battled to the finish ultimately crossing the line in 4:34.02 for 1600m and 10:48.55 for the relay. Appleton, Sabbahkan and Workman add another impressive DMR performance to their resumes as the three were part of the relay team that set the school record three times this indoor season and brought home the silver medal from the 2024 Indoor ACC Championships.

In the College Men’s Distance Medley Relay Championship of America, the team of Wes Porter, Alex Sherman, Conor Murphy and Gary Martin stormed to the finish crossing the line in 9:36.61 for third place. Porter led things off for Virginia clocking 3:00.39 for 1200m before handing the baton off to Sherman in second place. Sherman, similar Sabbahkan, flew around the track to record a 400m split of 46.22 and jump into first place. Poised and ready, Murphy stuck in the tightly bunched pack of runners clocking 1:49.33 for 800m before handing the baton off to Martin on the anchor leg. The field remained bunched until the final 200m when each team began to surge. Despite Martin’s valiant effort to pass on the outside, Liam Murphy of Villanova was able to hold off the field at the tape.

In the College Women’s 4x400m Championship of America heats, the quartet of Sarah Akpan, Ariel Fletcher, Alahna Sabbahkan and Emily Alexandru joined forces to finish fourth in heat one and 11th overall crossing the line in a season-best 3:38.27. Sabbahkan turned in her second sub-55 split of the day for 400m, completing one lap of the oval in 54.59 seconds. On the men’s side, Jaden Lyons, Alex Sherman, Gage Gose and Evans White IV got the baton around the track in 3:09.73 in the College Men’s 4x400m Championship of American heats. The quartet nearly eclipsed their season best which stands at 3:09.13 from the 2024 Virginia Challenge.

Mahkaia Lee leapt out 5.84m/19-2 in the College Women’s Long Jump to take fourth place overall. Lee achieved her top-five mark on her first and second attempt of the competition.

Up Next:
The Cavaliers return to Franklin Field tomorrow (April 27) for the final day of action at the 2024 Penn Relays before returning home to Lannigan Field Sunday (April 28) to host the Virginia High Performance.