Collier Summay

Jarrett Art

The College of Wooster men's and women's track & field teams produced a number of strong showings while competing against schools from across all NCAA divisions at Coastal Carolina University's annual Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational, held Thursday through Saturday. The non-scoring meet was just part of the Fighting Scots' spring break training trip in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Those who were part of seeded events included Julia Higgins, Paris Nahas, and Carolyn Webster. Webster, a first-year fresh off her 11th-place tie in the high jump at the NCAA Div. III Championships (indoor) a week ago, cleared 5 feet, 5 inches during her collegiate outdoor debut, which was good for seventh-place.

Nahas was seeded in two events, running 30th in the 400 meters with a time of 58.66 – about six-tenths of a second short of the school record – and 44th in the 200 (26.32). She also sprinted to a 12.97 in the open 100 meters, while Higgins posted a 35th-place in the seeded 400 hurdles (1:11.55).

Webster also competed in the open long jump, hitting a mark of 17 feet, 4.75 inches to finish fifth out of the event's 37 participants.

Leading the way on the track for Wooster was Collier Summay, the runner-up among 18 competitors in the open mile (5:44.70), and teammate Sophie Hawkins was not far behind in eighth-place (5:55.78). Another strong event was the 800 meters, with Emani Kelley earning ninth of 34 runners (2:24.11) and Mackenzie Kellar 13th (2:26.75). Kellar also pole vaulted and took eighth in the event (9 feet, 0.25 inches).

The Scots' top finisher on the men's side was Brian Lief, as the freshman continued his solid season by outracing all but four competitors in the open 800 meters with a fifth-place time of 1:58.89.

Two Wooster representatives were among the top-10 in the steeplechase, with Alex Chabraja crossing the line in sixth (9:51.00) and David Westcott in ninth (10:14.00), while Albert Darling covered the grueling 10,000 meters in 34:38.75, good for ninth-place.

Jarrett Art was a multi-event standout, leaping to fifth in the long jump at 20 feet, 5.25 inches and sprinting to 10th in the 200 meters (23.38). The talented rookie added a 14th-place run in the 400 (52.63), a race that also included classmate John Petrecca coming in 17th (53.41). The latter is a high jump specialist who went over 6 feet, 2.75 inches for eight-place in that event.

The Scots will be off from competition next weekend, then host the Wooster Invitational on April 1-2.