WESTFIELD, MA – The Westfield State women's Track and Field team will travel to Smith College in Northampton, MA to compete in the MASCAC Championship meet this Saturday, February 15. This will be the first ever MASCAC Championship for indoor track and field events.
The Owls prepare their team for continued success, led by senior Lauren Gilderdale (Great Barrington, MA) in the shot put event and junior Mackenzie Connor (Chelmsford, MA) in the pole vault. Gilderdale holds the first place seeding in the MASCAC for the shot put event with a season high 13.12 meter throw, recorded in the Massasoit Classic in Springfield, MA on January 25.
Gilderdale heads to the championship as a heavy favorite as she's ranked 23rd in the country for the women's shot put event. In the 20-lb. weight throw event, Gilderdale's success has placed her 12th in the NCAA Division III Qualifier Rankings, with a throw distance of 17.04-meters.
Connor sits atop the MASCAC performance list in the pole vault after clearing 2.65-meters at the Coast Guard Invitational last Friday. The season record for Connor currently sits at 2.80 meters, which looks to be challenged this weekend.
On the track, sophomore Amy O'Sullivan (Greenfield, MA) supports the Owls with speed in the one-mile run, placing first with a time of 5:15.16 recorded in the Massasoit Classic. O'Sullivan also boasts a season best run in the 5000-meter event with a 17:43.35 time, back on January 18 in the Mary Grinaker Invitational at Smith College.
Senior Maggie DaMotta (Windsor Locks, CT) looks to help Westfield secure another victory, specializing in the 200, 400, and 600-meter sprints as she holds the top spot in the MASCAC for the 400 and 600-meter, with a personal best time of 1:01.51 and 1:44.73, respectively.
Westfield State freshman Grace Phair (Stockbridge, MA) provided the Owls with some success last weekend in the 1000-meter run as the top seed with a time of 3:08.99. Phair also touts success in the 3000-meter event with a 10:18.47 run time in the Springfield College Season Opener on December 7. She looks to anchor the Owls and help bring home the MASCAC title for a fourth straight year.
"When we go into a meet like the MASCAC Championship, or any upcoming meet, the previous ones we don't really focus on," said Coach Sean O'Brien on the team's preparation ahead of this weekend's championship. "Our athletes work on personal bests and times that will qualify for upcoming rounds. The MASCAC is all about points and if one athlete in one event will supply points to help us qualify for the next meet; we're going to use them. Our past success rate has no effect on how we prepare for the following season, we work year to year and if we can get our athletes to perform well enough to get as many points as we can to qualify and potentially win, then that's the icing on the cake."
Start times for the field events begin at 10:30 AM followed by the track events which begin at noon.
-- written by Jacob Solomons, sports information intern