Appleton Records Fourth Fastest 1500m in NCAA History On Day 2 of Raleigh Relays

• After two second team All-American performances at the NCAA Indoor Championships, Margot Appleton had some unfinished business.
• Appleton ran the fourth fastest time in collegiate history crossing the line in a blistering 4:05.68 on her way to break the Raleigh Relays meet record and Paul Derr Track & Field Facility record.
• The previous meet and facility record stood at 4:08.84 set by Shannon Flockhart of Providence just one year ago. Flockhart and fellow friar Kimberley May were in the field.
• The senior became the third-fastest collegian ever at the 1500-meter distance, only behind Jenny Simpson and Maia Ramsden.
• Nearly eclipsing Michaela Myer’s Virginia record of 4:04.02 from 2021, Appleton bettered her program No.2 mark by three seconds.
• Also in the race was Tatum David setting a new personal-best for 1500-meters clocking 4:14.95. Her time ranks eighth all-time in program history.
• Virginia went six for six on Cavaliers setting personal-bests in the 1500-meter heats.
• Freshman trio Stella Kermes (4:19.65), Tatum Olesen (4:24.01) and Ella Woehlcke (4:25.86) all put up new best times in their second collegiate competition.
• Annie Jackson stopped the clock faster than ever before, coming through the line in 4:26.67. The senior bests her previous record of 4:35.30 from this meet two years ago competing for Dartmouth.
• Under the lights in the women’s 10,000-meters, Jenny Schilling ran a strong race clocking 33:15.54 while Sophie Atkinson recorded a huge personal-best 33:29.46 to move up to No.5 all-time in program history.

• Estel Valeanu won the women’s discus throw on her first attempt in the competition. Valeanu launched one out 53.97m/177-0 to become No.4 in program history.
• Caleb Holman rounded out the top three finishers in the men’s triple jump leaping out 15.10m/49-6.50. While good for third place, his mark ranks fifth among freshman in Virginia history.
• Celia Rifaterra won the women’s high jump competition clearing 1.78m/5-10 just ahead of her teammate Carly Tarentino in eighth place with her mark of 1.70m/5-7.
• Justin Rogers cleared a season-best 4.80m/15-9 in the men’s pole vault invitational section.

• Evans White IV ran his way to a new personal-best 46.67 in the men’s 400-meters to finish fourth and become No.7 in Virginia history.
• In the women’s 400-meters, Ariel Fletcher tied Andrea Wright ’14 for ninth in Virginia history clocking 54.80.
• Sarah Akpan equaled her season-best 11.63 to finish eighth in the women’s 100-meter dash.
• In the men’s 100-meter dash, Peter Djan recorded a top 10 finish crossing the line in 10.55 for ninth place overall.
• Over hurdles, Ethan Robinson (14.24) and Maya Rollins (14.08) had solid outings recording 12^th place finishes in the men’s 110-meter hurdles and women’s 100m hurdles respectively.

Up Next
The Cavaliers are back in action tomorrow, Saturday (March 29) for the third and final day of competition at the Raleigh Relays in Raleigh, N.C. The competition will begin with the men’s hammer throw at 9:30 a.m. and conclude with the men’s 4×400-meter relay at 5:35 p.m.