Edwards, Strong Lead Worcester State Women's Track & Field to Strong Corsair Classic Showing

Worcester, MA- The Worcester State University women's outdoor track and field team turned in a strong performance across the board at the Corsair Classic hosted by UMass-Dartmouth this weekend, collecting event wins, podium finishes, and encouraging marks throughout a large and competitive field.

The Lancers were led by two individual event victories that stood out as highlights of the entire meet. Sophomore Samantha Edwards (East Longmeadow, MA) delivered a dominant performance in the 10,000 meters, crossing the finish line first with a time of 44:01.71 to claim the gold. Edwards' winning effort demonstrated the kind of competitive endurance that bodes well for Worcester State's distance corps as the outdoor season gets underway.

On the field side, junior Alexis Strong (Southington, CT) was equally impressive, taking first place in the long jump with a mark of 5.01 meters to claim her own event title. Strong also made her presence known on the track, finishing sixth in the 200 meters with a time of 28.02 — one of the top sprint performances of the day for the Lancers. Her ability to compete at a high level in both sprints and jumps makes her one of Worcester State's most versatile athletes.

Several other Lancers found themselves on or near the podium throughout the weekend. First year Gabriella Fischel (Westport, CT) had an outstanding day in the pole vault, clearing 2.20 meters to finish third overall,  a tremendous early-season mark for a first-year athlete competing in her first outdoor campaign.

In the shot put, junior Jadah Stokes (Chicopee, MA) put together one of the strongest throws in the field, placing fourth with a mark of 10.67 meters to highlight what was a productive day for the Lancers in the throwing events. Stokes also contributed in the discus and hammer, adding depth and consistency to Worcester State's throwing corps throughout the weekend.

First year Lilah Delongchamp (Worcester, MA) delivered a breakout performance in the 400 meter hurdles, finishing seventh overall with a time of 77.10 seconds — a confident debut in the event that signals plenty of room to grow as the season progresses.

Worcester State's distance runners demonstrated impressive depth throughout the meet. Sophomore Samantha Edwards' 10,000-meter victory headlined the group, but the Lancers also put together solid outings in the 1,500 and 5,000 meter events.

In the 5,000 meters, first year Anna Serafini (Leominster, MA) posted an 11th-place finish with a time of 20:09.18, while senior Leah Berg (Worcester, MA) ran 20:13.79 to finish 14th — two competitive marks that reflect well on the team's distance development. In the 1,500, seniors Bridget O'Malley (Leominster, MA) and Claudia Symonick (Auburn, MA) joined freshmen Caydence Carr (Upton, MA) and Janine Betcher (Fontana, CA) and Lauren Flanagan (Milford, MA) in building valuable outdoor mileage.

The sprints offered encouraging signs for Worcester State's future. Sophomore Arianna Farrell (Wilmington, MA) led the Lancers in the 100 meters with an eighth-place finish and a time of 13.71 seconds, while first year Ayla McGrail (Charlton, MA) was right behind in 14th at 13.93. First year Peyton Watkins (Salisbury, MA) also competed well, finishing 16th in the 100 at 13.99.

Strong's 200-meter mark of 28.02 for sixth place was the standout sprint effort of the day, though sophomore Emily Bodwell (Lakeville, MA) also contributed with a 200-meter finish of 29.46. Bodwell added a ninth-place triple jump mark of 9.56 meters, further demonstrating her athleticism as a multi-event competitor.

In the 400 meters, junior Mia Guinto (West Boylston, MA) paced the group with a 12th-place finish and a time of 72.08, with first year Abby Matta (West Bridgewater, MA) and junior Meghan Driscoll (Mansfield, MA) also contributing competitive efforts.

The throwing corps was active across all four events throughout the weekend. In addition to Stokes' fourth-place shot put mark, senior Ava Piccolo (Tewksbury, MA) was consistent across multiple disciplines, placing seventh in the discus with a throw of 29.20 meters and sixth in the hammer at 35.17 meters,  the top Lancer mark in that event. Junior Luana Grau-Moura (Marlborough, MA) also contributed across events, including a 12th-place shot put mark of 9.13 meters and a hammer throw of 30.72 meters.

Junior Morgan Merrell (Leicester, MA) chipped in with an 11th-place finish in the discus at 28.13 meters. In the javelin, first year Makenna Perro (Brookfield, MA) led all Lancers with an 11th-place mark of 28.84 meters, a standout throw for a first-year competitor.

The Lancers are back in action on April 4th when they head to Fitchburg State for the Jim Sheehan Invite.