Barbacci Earns Gold in Pole Vault, Eagles Hold Sixth in Day One of Landmark Championships

BETHLEHEM, Pa.- The Juniata women's track and field team competed in the first of two days of the Landmark Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Moravian University on Saturday. Olivia Barbacci was the star of the afternoon for the Eagles as she won the pole vault with a mark that tied her for the best mark in program history.  

Barbacci eclipsed 3.25 meters to win the event and, in the process, tied with Stephanie Barner who achieved the mark at the Gator Invitational at Allegheny College in 2011. Her previous best was set a week ago at the Paul Kaiser Invitational at Shippensburg, where she cleared 2.90 meters. Ashley Alfree also landed in the program's record book in the process, as she tied for fourth place in the event with a mark of 2.65 meters. It gave her the program's third-best mark in the event. She previously had a personal best of 2.50 meters set at Moravian's Coach P Invitational in April.  

Emma Coolidge also represented Juniata in a pair of throwing events where she achieved personal bests and one podium. She garnered bronze in the javelin throw with a mark of 34.33 meters, setting a personal best in the process. Her previous best was 32.88 meters, set at the Messiah Invitational in mid-April. Five of her six attempts on the day were better than her previous best. In the discus throw, she claimed 15th place and set a new PR with a mark of 28.17 meters. Her previous best was a mark of 27.57 meters set at the Messiah Invitational.  

Barbacci also logged a time in the 200-meter preliminaries. She finished in 11th with a time of 27.27 for a personal best. She previously set a 27.63 at the Messiah Invitational.  

Juniata finished day one in sixth place out of seven teams competing. 

The Eagles return for the final day of the Landmark Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships tomorrow morning. They are slated to compete in four track events and two field events.