The Siena Track Team got its outdoor track and field season off to a flying start when three of its student-athletes took back gold to Loudonville for their times on Saturday at Bryant University's Black and Gold Invitational.
Killian McNamee,
Keira Flaherty and Katie Hesler all won in their respective events while several other Saints finished inside the Top-10 among the 16 schools who competed.
Additionally, there were 12 Saints who achieved a personal best time on the day.
"Overall, it was a really solid day and a fantastic opener!" said Siena track head coach Elizbeth DeBole.
"It was one of our best team performances of the year—and it's only March. We are excited to get back to work this week and have another opportunity and hope for some warmer weather.
Despite the colder temperatures, coach DeBole said it made the team's performances all that way more impressive.
McNamee, a graduate student from Tolland, CT, finished with a personal record 3:50.51 in the men's 1,500-meter while
Jackson Cayward was ninth with a time of 4:02.89. McNamee's time was strong enough to be third all-time in the program's history.
Several others ran down a personal best in that event including
Colin Brunelle (4:04.06),
Jake Gogarty (4:09.68),
Collin Clinton (4:13.74), and
Tommy Sheerin (4:18.53).
Flaherty, the senior native of Yorktown Heights, NY, ran the women's 800-meter in 2:13.23 to take the event while fellow senior
Claire Gardner trailed her by just 0.05 seconds to place second in the event.
Chloe Poulos also ran a personal best of 2:17.70 and finished sixth. Poulos' time was the 10
th fastest in program history.
In the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase, Hesler reset her own bar by running it in 11:16.66 to take first place.
Hesler's time marked the third fastest time in program history.
Kaitilin DeForest was in third place by clocking in at 11:31.21. DeForest ran the eighth fastest time in program history.
In the women's 4x400-meter relay event, Flaherty, Gardner, McClintock, and
Mattingly O'Rourke finished with second best all-time in program history at 4:04.09.
Jennifer McClintock ran the women's 400-meter in 1:01.61 to place ninth overall. And, in the men's 400-meter,
Parris Porter was ninth with a time of 52.01 while
Noah Smith ran down a PR with a time of 53.16.
Other personal records included
Tyler Tkaczyk (1:57.64) and
Marcus Homa (2:00.93) in the men's 800-meter,
Katie Hayes (5:04.5) in the women's 1,500, and
Brody Santagata (15:16.17) in the men's 5,000-meter
Another noteworthy time included Chris DeForest, who placed sixth overall in the men's 3k race, clocking in at 8:26.82.
Next, Siena will travel to Lewisburg, PA at Bucknell to compete in the Bison Outdoor Classic on Saturday, April 12 and Sunday, April 13.
