Fresh off their win  at the Empire 8 Championships Feb. 11, athletes from the men’s and women’s track and field teams scattered to compete at two different invitationals on Feb. 18. Athletes competed in both the Utica College Pioneer Invitational in Utica, New York, and the Marc Denault Invitational at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, placing well in several events.

In the Marc Denault Invitational, sophomore Derek Howes and junior Gerardo Munoz took first and second place in the men’s 500–meter dash with times of 1:05.95 and 1:06.81.

In the women’s 500–meter, freshman Maria Matkoski finished second with a time of 1:21.57. She was followed by sophomore Lindsey Castle in fifth place with a time of 1:24.17, and sophomore Julia Rand in ninth place with a time of 1:26.56.

In the women’s weight throw, senior Brandy Smith placed third with a distance of 16.68 meters, followed by junior Caitlin Noonan in sixth place at 14.94 meters.

Senior Natalie Meyer took second place in the women’s high jump with a height of 1.55 meters. In the men’s high jump, freshman Rob Greenwald finished second with a height of 1.84 meters.

In the women’s 800–meter, sophomore Emilie Mertz finished second with a time of 2:18.88.

Freshman Annika Morrison finished fourth in the women’s 3,000–meter with a time of 10:59.63.

In the Pioneer Invitational, junior Amber Edwards took first place in the women’s 60–meter hurdles with a time of 9.08 seconds.

Freshman Beth Cripps placed first in the women’s pole vault with a height of 3.7 meters.

Senior Francesca Boylan placed sixth in the women’s weight throw at 13.74 meters. In the men’s weight throw, senior Sam Cherney took sixth with a throw of 14.65 meters.
Both teams will compete at 10 a.m. Feb. 24 at the NYSCTC championships in Canton, New York.