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Trio Get Career Bests at Boston
February 9, 2008
BOSTON RESULTS (.pdf) | AKRON RESULTS (.pdf)
BOSTON – Three Allegheny College women’s track & field athletes, Ogechi Nwokedi (Oil City, Pa./Oil City), Katie Stancik (Russell, Ohio/Chagrin Falls) and Mia Symoniak (Snyder, N.Y./Amherst Central), each recorded personal bests at the Boston University Valentine Open. Nwokedi and Stancik, both first-year Gators, competed in the 800 and mile, respectively, while Symoniak, a sophomore, ran in the 5,000. Competing seperately, senior Liz Earley (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) placed third of 13 competitors at the Akron Invite.
Stancik placed 73rd overall in the mile, running the eight-lap event in a time of 5:22.12, the fastest time on the team thus far and nearly nine seconds faster than her previous best time, ran a week ago at the Case Western Reserve Invitational.
Nwokedi took 34th in the 800 in a time of 2:19.58, becoming the first NCAC runner to break 2:20 this season in the event, while topping her own Allegheny best time by three and a half seconds.
Symoniak’s time of 18:27.00 in the 5,000-meter run topped her previous career-best time of 18:50.70, set in the opening weekend of the indoor season at Kent State, earning herself a 44th place finish.
Liz Straus (Kirtland, Ohio/Kirtland) also competed in the high jump, but missed on all three attempts at 5-0, the opening height and just shy of her career bests.
The quartet will team up on Saturday to run in the distance medley relay portion of the Valentine Invite.
Earley's toss of 52-10.75 in the 35-pound weight throw at Kent State placed her third overall in the entirely Division I field. The distance is a NCAA Division III provisional qualifying mark, but is five inches short of her season best in the event.