Women's Track and Field Tie for Sixth at Conference Champs: Correia Wins Shot Put, Breaks School Record

SELINSGROVE, Pa.- Nandee Correia's win and program-record shot put mark was the highlight of a day that produced a tie for sixth place for the women's track and field team in the Landmark Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships at Susquehanna. 

The team finished level with Drew at 40 points, a 30.50 point in increase from last season's conference championships. 

Correia shattered the Juniata indoor program record with her 12.40-meter shot put mark to earn an event win and ten points for Juniata. Her previous-best mark was 11.34 meters, set at this season's Mini-Dip Invitational at Franklin & Marshall, surpassing three Eagles in the record book and topping the previous program record mark of 11.55 meters set by Hope Myers at the 2000 Albright Invitational. Kaleah Leisher also competed in the shot put, finishing in 22nd place with a mark of 8.70 meters.  

Correia also snagged bronze in the weight throw with a mark of 13.88 meters for six points towards the team score. 

Olivia Barbacci earned fifth place in the 400 meters with a time of 1:01.54, setting a new personal best. Her previous best time was 1:01.69, set at the Blue and White Invitational at Franklin & Marshall, and the time keeps her third in program history.  

Ashley Alfree's fifth-place finish in the pole vault with a mark of 2.60 meters moved her up the Juniata record book a couple of spots while she earned four points for the team. Her previous mark was 2.45 meters, set on two occasions. She moves from sixth in program history to fourth past 2.59-meter marks set by Stephanie Wasylyk at the 2004 MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships and Maria Welch at the 2003 Susquehanna Invitational.  

Josie Kelly also finished in the points in the pole vault with a mark of 2.30 meters to claim eighth place and one point. Barbacci was unable to register at height, attempting 2.90 meters. 

Barbacci was able to perform well in the high jump with a mark of 1.56 meters to earn fourth place and five points. Alfree was in tenth place with a mark of 1.51 meters, a new personal record, and a 0.04-meter improvement. Kelly was 16th with a mark of 1.26 meters. 

Rebecca Christophel raced in the 800 meters, finishing in 12th place with a time of 2:31.16.  

Juniata competed in three relays, including the 4x400 meters, the 4x200 meters, and the distance medley. 

The team of Christophel, Barbacci, Alfree, and Camille McRoberts earned six points with a fourth-place finish in the 4x400 meters with a time of 4:19.39. The season-best time beat the 4:21.49 from last weekend's Susquehanna Tuneup. 

Christophel, Zoe Biles, Justice Sheaffer, and McRoberts set a time of 14:31.93 in the distance medley relay to earn seventh place.  

Biles, Kelly, Beck Mensch, and Ashley Anderson earned seventh place in the 4x200 meters with a time of 2:15.73.  

Members of the Juniata women's track and field team will vie for NCAA Indoor Track and Field National Championship spots as they venture to Shenandoah University for the South Regional Final Qualifier this Saturday, March 2nd.