BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Embry-Riddle women's track and field team opened their 2019-20 campaign Friday, competing at the BSC Panther Indoor Invitational. The Blue and Gold competed against several NCAA Division I institutions, in addition to members of NCAA Division II and Division III.
 
Said head coach Mike Rosolino, "I was happy with our performance today. The goals for the day were to get our feet wet and get a chance to compete before the break. Many of our freshmen got their first meet jitters out, some upperclassmen got a chance to show the benefits of their work and in general we got some good marks. I was really impressed with the number of personal bests that came out this early in the year…This is a great start to what should be a special season."
 
In the weight throw, Sophia Gustely and Hannah Thomas-Russell recorded throws of 11.13m and 7.37m, good for 23rd and 26th, respectively. The duo also competed in the shot put, with Gustely recording a distance of 9.64m, and Thomas-Russell recording a distance of 8.11m. All the results from those events were new personal records.
 
Dejah Saunders and Emma Sorenson competed in the long jump, reaching distances of 4.69m and 4.65m for finishes of 35th and 38th in the event. The pair also competed in the triple jump, with Saunders placing fourth with a distance of 11.83m, while Sorenson carded a 16th place finish with a 10.16m effort for a new personal best.
 
In the pole vault, Rachel Bauer cleared a height of 2.95m, which was good for an 11th place finish. The high jump saw Ukeyvia Beckwith post a top-five marker for the Eagles, as she placed fourth with an effort of 1.65m. Marissa Burke's 1.45m try was good for an 18th place finish.
 
Beckwith also competed in the 800m race, where she took home the top spot with a time of 2:15.31, which was a new personal best in that event.
 
In the women's 3,000-meter event, Josie Gray collected a 10th place result with a time of 10:51.24, while Maggie Allen recorded a time of 11:28.58, good for a 19th place result and the best time of her career in the event. Mikaela Hakamaa ran in the one-mile event, placing 17th with a time of 5:47.77.
 
Saunders (9.58/9.56) and Kamri Roan (9.68/9.70) saw action on the track in the 60m hurdles, as they both made it through to the semifinals of that event. Saunders' semifinal run marked a new personal best. Breona Butts joined Saunders and Roan in the 60m dash, with Butts making it through to the semifinals where she also posted a new personal-best time of 7.93 to follow-up her 8.03 in the prelims. Saunders and Roan posted times of 8.66 and 8.73 in the prelims.
 
The day concluded with team distance events, and the Eagles distance medley team of Gray, Beckwith, Butts and Hakamaa collected a third-place finish with a time of 13:26.60.
 
The Eagles will resume competition after the first of the year as they head to Columbia, South Carolina for the Gamecock Opener at the University of South Carolina.