The women’s track and field team started its outdoor season off with a bang Saturday at the Ithaca Invitational at Butterfield Stadium.

The South Hill squad won nine titles, eight individual and one relay. Sophomore Marcia McCord led the Bombers, winning all three events she competed in. McCord won the long jump, 200-meter dash, and the triple jump. She jumped 11.40 meters in the triple jump, exceeding the 11.30 provisional standard for the NCAA Championships.  Freshman Ashley Dlubac qualified for nationals as well in the javelin. Dlubac threw the javelin 38.66 meters, exceeding the provisional national standard of 38.50 meters.

“It was a great first meet,” Head Coach Jennifer Potter said. “There was a lot of confidence, a lot of things people have never done, a lot of things people haven’t done at all indoors because they’re outdoor events. I’m excited about what we did and where we’re at. It was a great performance all-around.”

Senior Lauren Koppel and freshman Emma Dewart both qualified for the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships in the 100-meter hurdles. Koppel won the event while Dewart came in second. Dewart won the high jump and qualified for ECACs in the event.

Freshman Heidi Baumbach and sophomore Kristen DeStefano also won events for the Bombers. Baumbach took first in the10,000-meter run and DeStefano won in the pole vault. The 400-meter relay team won its event, qualifying for ECACs.

The Bombers wrapped up a successful indoor season in which the squad placed fourth at ECACs and sent three athletes to Nationals.

Freshman Chelsea Dutton said the transition from the indoor season to the outdoor season is going smoothly.

“We didn’t skip a beat,” Dutton said. “We kept up the same intensity. It was a good kicking off point.”

The Bombers continue their season at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Muhlenberg Invitational in Allentown, PA.