Wildcats Sprinters and Jumpers Compete at Hurricane Alumni Invitational

Entries in six running events, four field events made up competition for Villanova

Sophomore Samantha Yeats established a personal best with a distance of 5.50 meters in the long jump.

April 16, 2012

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Villanova sent 11 athletes to compete in the Hurricane Alumni Invitational on Saturday at Cobb Stadium and the Wildcats had entries in six running events and four field events during the meet. Sophomore Samantha Yeats (Califon, N.J.) fared well in both the long jump and the high jump, freshman Alexandra Wasik (Medina, Ohio) came in third in the pole vault and the group of Villanova sprinters each posted solid times in their events.

Yeats established a new personal best with a jump of 5.50 meters in the long jump and came in eighth out of 19 competitors in the event. She also matched a season best by clearing a height of 1.78 meters in the high jump, where she came in third.

In the pole vault Wasik led a trio of Wildcats who finished third through fifth out of nine entries. Wasik cleared 3.80 meters to finish in third place and was followed by freshman Kathleen McPhillips (Carlisle, Pa.) in fourth place (3.65m) and senior Melissa Meggiolaro (Whippany, N.J.) in fifth place (3.50m).

Sophomore Samantha Francis (Kingston, Jamaica) also competed in the jumps for Villanova, finishing seventh in the triple jump (12.01m) and 10th in the long jump (5.45m). Her distance in the triple jump marked the second time in as many weeks that Francis has surpassed 12 meters in competition.

In the sprints senior Christie Verdier (Baldwin, N.Y.) ran her best time of the outdoor season in the 400 meters and came in eighth out of 29 runners with a time of 54.06. Freshman Qualitra Brown (Suffolk, Va.) also competed in the 400 meters and registered a time of 57.49, while also coming in with a time of 25.40 in the 200 meters.

Freshman Emerald Walden (Lafayette Hill, Pa.) finished sixth in the 100 meter hurdles (14.43) and recorded a time of 25.74 in the 200 meters, while freshman Varonica Johnson (Charlotte, N.C.) finished 21st in the 100 meters with a time of 12.14. In the 400 meter hurdles freshman Faith Dismuke (Passaic, N.J.) came in eighth with a time of 1:02.27.

Villanova was one of 13 collegiate teams competing in Saturday's meet, which also included a number of professional and Olympic hopeful runners.

COMPLETE VILLANOVA RESULTS

100 Meters

Varonica Johnson                         21st of 36                  12.14

100 Meter Hurdles

Emerald Walden                           6th of 16                   14.43

200 Meters

Qualitra Brown                           29th of 38                  25.40
Emerald Walden                           30th                        25.74

400 Meters

Christie Verdier                         8th of 29                   54.06
Qualitra Brown                           21st                        57.49

400 Meter Hurdles

Faith Dismuke                            8th of 14                   1:02.27

4x400 Meter Relay

Villanova                                6th of 11                   3:51.46

High Jump

Samantha Yeats                           3rd of 9                    1.78m

Pole Vault

Alexandra Wasik                          3rd of 9                    3.80m
Kathleen McPhillips                      4th                         3.65m
Melissa Meggiolaro                       5th                         3.50m

Long Jump

Samantha Yeats                           8th of 19                   5.50m
Samantha Francis                         10th                        5.45m

Triple Jump

Samantha Francis                         7th of 12                   12.01m

Villanova University