Blue Track & Field Opens Outdoor Season at AIC Yellow Jacket Invite

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Wellesley College track & field kicked off the spring outdoor season on Saturday, competing at the 5th Annual Yellow Jacket Invitational hosted by American International College (AIC) at the John G. Hoyt Track and Field Complex. 

Wellesley took fifth place overall with 68 points, finishing just a point shy of host AIC   while also earning the top place of any competing Division III institution. Division I Northeastern (148) and Vermont (90) took first and second, followed by Division II Stonehill (75.5) and AIC (69). 

Senior Taylor Bickford delivered Wellesley's top performance of the day, registering  an ECAC DIII, NEICAA and DIII New England Championship qualifying time (38:13.08) and first place finish in the 10,000 meter run. 

In all, the Blue recorded four top-ten finishes in the 10,000 meters. Sophomore Alice Zhou also finished in the top-five, taking third with her NEICAA and DIII New England qualifying time of 39:21.83. Sophomore Sara Vannah (41:24.67) and first year Clare Salerno (42:36.11) took sixth and seventh, respectively. 

Wellesley earned four more DIII New England qualifying marks on the day, including  sophomore Isabella Narvaez's fourth place finish in the 200 meter dash with a time of 26.20. Narvaez also registered a DIII New England qualifying time in the 400 meter dash, placing third with a time of 59.64. 

Sophomore Mary Keenan finished under five minutes (4:51.67) in the 1,500 meter run while first year Abena Asare took sixth in the Long Jump (5.03m) as both qualified for the DIII New England Championships. 

Wellesley track & field will continue its season on Friday and Saturday at Connecticut College's Silfen Invitational in New London, Conn.