Villanova University

Jan. 28, 2012

Complete Meet Results

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - At the Penn State National this weekend senior Shericka Ward (Leesburg, Fla.) established a new personal best time in the 60 meter hurdles and as a team Villanova registered 14 new postseason qualifying times on the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track during a successful overall competition.

In the semifinals of the 60 meter hurdles on Friday night Ward crossed the finish line in a time of 8.25, a mark that was two-hundredths of a second faster than her time of 8.27 in the same meet last year. Ward was third out of 16 runners in the semifinal heats after her time of 8.33 in the preliminary heats put her fourth overall out of 42 competitors.

Ward also ran the 200 meters for the first time this season and came in second in the invitational section of the race with a time of 23.93. She was the runner-up out of eight runners in her section and had the top time of any affiliated runner, trailing only an unattached entry at the finish line. Freshman Varonica Johnson (Charlotte, N.C.) competed in the unseeded section of the 200 meters and tied for seventh place out of 38 runners with a time of 24.71 which qualified her for the BIG EAST and ECAC postseason meets.

Sophomore Nicky Akande (Lawrenceville, Ga.) and freshman Stephanie Schappert (Delray Beach, Fla.) each had terrific performances in the Mile and recorded times that came under both the BIG EAST Championships and ECAC Championship qualifying times. Akande finished in fourth place in the invitational section of the Mile with a time 4:47.86, shattering her previous personal best by nearly 20 seconds. Schappert crossed the finish line in 4:49.11.

In the 3000 meters freshman Courtney Chapman (Fayetteville, N.Y.) and sophomore Emily Lipari (Greenvale, N.Y.) each had strong races. Chapman came in sixth in the invitational section with a personal best time of 9:31.21 and Lipari was less than a second behind her in seventh place, crossing the finish line in 9:32.05.

Rounding out the team's performances in the distance events, freshman Megan Venables (Laurel Springs, N.J.) finished fifth in the seeded section of the 5000 meters (17:27.29) and classmate Sydney Harris (Colorado Springs, Colo.) was third in the unseeded section of the Mile (4:59.75).

Junior Ariann Neutts (Succasunna, N.J.) recorded a time of 2:12.00 in the invitational section of the 800 meters. It was her first race in the event this season and she has now qualified for the postseason meets in three different events, also including the 1000 meters and the Mile.

In the unseeded section of the 800 meters freshman Leanne Tucker (Tewksbury, Mass.) lowered her previous top time of the season to 2:13.23 and qualified for the ECAC Championship meet. In addition, senior Erin Ryan (Doylestown, Pa.) crossed the finish line in 2:16.57 and tallied her first BIG EAST Championships qualification.

The trio of sophomore Mary Bohi (Shamong, N.J.), junior Shannon Browne (Staten Island, N.Y.) and freshman Amanda Borroughs (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) each ran BIG EAST qualifying times in the unseeded section of the 1000 meters. Bohi placed fourth in 2:57.01, Browne was sixth (2:57.56) and Borroughs came in seventh (2:58.51).

In the field events freshman Katherine Petruzzellis (Annandale, N.J.) competed in the pentathlon and totaled up 3,376 points to come in seventh out of 17 competitors. Her top single event in the competition was the 800 meters, in which she came in fifth among the contenders with a time of 2:27.68. Her other marks in the pentathlon events included the 60 meter hurdles (9.33), high jump (1.56m), shot put (10.02m) and long jump (5.12m).

Freshmen Alexandra Wasik (Medina, Ohio) and Kathleen McPhillips (Carlisle, Pa.) each set personal bests for the second time this season in the pole vault with matching heights of 3.77 meters. They tied for third out of 18 athletes in the event. In addition, sophomore Samantha Yeats (Califon, N.J.) tied a personal best in the high jump (1.75 meters) and finished third out of 19 competitors.

Villanova next competes in the New Balance Collegiate Invitational on February 3-4 at the New York Armory.

NOTES: Ali Smith competed as an unattached entry in the Mile and finished 15th in the invitational section with a time of 4:56.21 ... Smith has outdoor eligibility remaining this spring for the Wildcats.

COMPLETE VILLANOVA RESULTS

60 Meters

PRELIMINARIES

Varonica Johnson                tie-20th of 45             7.74

60 Meter Hurdles

PRELIMINARIES

Shericka Ward                   4th of 42                  8.33
Emerald Walden                  16th                       8.73

SEMIFINALS

Shericka Ward                   3rd of 16                  8.25
Emerald Walden                  tie-12th                   8.60

200 Meters

Varonica Johnson                tie-7th of 38              24.71

200 Meters (Invitational)

Shericka Ward                   2nd of 8                   23.93

400 Meters

Qualitra Brown                  20th of 32                 57.81

500 Meters

Faith Dismuke                   14th of 23                 1:17.47

800 Meters

Leanne Tucker                   3rd of 26                  2:13.23
Erin Ryan                       15th                       2:16.57

800 Meters (Invitational)

Ariann Neutts                   13th of 14                 2:12.00

1000 Meters

Mary Bohi                       4th of 11                  2:57.01
Shannon Browne                  6th                        2:57.56
Amanda Borroughs                7th                        2:58.41

Mile

Sydney Harris                   3rd of 14                  4:59.75

Mile (Invitational)

Nicky Akande                    4th of 21                  4:47.86
Stephanie Schappert             6th                        4:49.11

3000 Meters (Invitational)

Courtney Chapman                6th of 13                  9:31.21
Emily Lipari                    7th                        9:32.05

5000 Meters (Invitational)

Megan Venables                  5th of 17                  17:27.29

4x400 Meter Relay (Invitational)

Villanova                       5th of 5                   3:48.59

4x800 Meter Relay (Invitational)

Villanova                       2nd of 7                   9:06.74

High Jump

Samantha Yeats                  3rd of 19                  1.75m

Pole Vault (Invitational)

Alexandra Wasik                 tie-3rd of 18              3.77m
Kathleen McPhillips             tie-3rd of 18              3.77m
Melissa Meggiolaro              10th                       3.50m

Pentathlon

Katherine Petruzzellis          7th of 17                  3,376 Points

Pentathlon Individual Events (Katherine Petruzzellis)

60 Meter Hurdles                8th                        9.33
High Jump                       tie-8th                    1.56m
Shot Put                        7th                        10.02m
Long Jump                       8th                        5.12m
800 Meters                      5th                        2:27.68