2008 Mount Holyoke Invitational

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (April 5, 2008) - For the first time in ten years, Mount Holyoke College hosted an outdoor track and field meet today. Joining the Lyons in the Mount Holyoke Invitational were the University of Southern Maine Huskies, the Smith College Pioneers and the Wellesley College Blue. It was the first competition at the College's recently constructed outdoor track and field complex and first meet on Mount Holyoke's campus since the NEW 8 Championships on April 26, 1997.

A pair of Lyons qualified for the NCAA Division III New England Regional Championships with their performances. Senior Joan Meiners (Boulder, Colo./Boulder) took top honors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 12:50.08, while classmate Caroline Gillaspie (Athens, N.Y./Coxsackie-Athens) finished first in the high jump with a leap of 4'11".

Mount Holyoke produced four more first place results, giving the team a total of six facility records. Senior Halaina Demba (Harvard, Mass./Bromfield) won the 800-meter run with a time of 2:31.17. Meanwhile, classmate Meghan Lynch (South Hadley, Mass./Holyoke Catholic) recorded a time of 19:07.99 to win the 5,000-meter run. The Lyons 4 X 200-meter relay squad dominated the field, crossing the line in 1:53.06. Making up the team were Grace Zeigler (Oak Hill, Ill./Neuqua Valley), Charisse Pickron (Amherst, Mass./Amherst Regional), Crystal Boateng (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug) and Ebony Williams (Detroit, Mich./University Liggett).

Several former members of the Mount Holyoke track and field program returned to campus for the opening of the new facility. Among those in attendance, several competed in events. They were Dawn Forton '97(5,000-meter run), Andi Villasenor '07 (shot put) and Gretchen Sminke '07 (discus). A fourth alum, Shannon Graham '07, earned first place in the javelin with a throw of 95'3".

Mount Holyoke will return to action next Saturday, when it participates in the Wesleyan University Invitational.

Complete Team and Individual Results