Cowles, Andersen Lead Wellesley Track & Field at Wheaton Invitational

NORTON, Mass. -- Sophomore Grace Cowles (Yarmouth, Maine) finished first in the 3000m and senior Helen Andersen (Madison, N.J.) was the runner-up in the shot put to lead Wellesley College track & field at the Wheaton College Invitational on Saturday at the Haas Athletic Center.

Cowles tied with Meredith Cronin of Connecticut College in the 3000m, as both clocked a time of 10:45.98 to outdistance the rest of the field by 16 seconds in an exciting 3000m finish. Andersen finished second in the Shot Put with a mark of 10.70m. Sophomore Abby Parakoyi (Houston, Texas) was 18th in the shot with a mark of 7.47m. Andersen also added an eighth place performance in the Weight Throw, recording a toss of 12.75m. 

First year Ava Yokanovich (Stillwater, Minn.) was the top Wellesley finisher in both the 200m and the 400m. Yokanovich led a group of seven Blue runners in the 200m, taking 14th overall and first in her heat in 28.42. Yokanovich then went on to take fourth in the 400m, finishing in 1:02.48. Senior Jenn Harris (Vestal, N.Y.) was also in the top-ten in the 400m, taking eighth (1:05.84). 

The Blue added five top-ten times in the Mile, 800m, 5000m, and 60m Hurdles. First years Maya Bradbury (Freeport, Maine) and Ariana Marks (Eagle Point, Ore.) finished 1-2 in their heat and fifth and sixth overall in the Mile with times of 5:27.34 and 5:31.41, respectively. Junior Liz Wegman (East Sandwich, Mass.) added an eighth place finish in the 800m (2:38.52), while senior Catherine Xie (Newton, Mass.) was eighth (19:55.79) in the 5000m and sophomore Rachel Berets (Belmont, Mass.) was ninth (10.09) in the 60m Hurdles. Also in action for Wellesley, senior Yuriko Fukumura (Newton, Mass.) was the top Blue finisher in the 60m, taking 18th (8.81) overall.

Wellesley is back in action next Saturday, January 26, at the Branwen-Smith King Invitational at Tufts.