Keenan Leads Field in 5000m as Blue Track & Field Opens ECAC Championships

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Junior Mary Keenan (Boerne, Texas) finished in first place as Wellesley College track & field placed three runners in the top eight of the 5000m Run on the opening day of the 2016 ECAC Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Ocean Breeze Park Track & Field Athletic Complex.

Keenan, the two-time defending ECAC Outdoor Champion in the 5000m, took first in the event with a time of 17:35.24 to win her first indoor title. She was followed by two more Blue runners in the top-eight, as senior Priyanka Fouda (Wellesley, Mass.) took third in 18:00.41 and senior Carolyn Chelius (Haddonfield, N.J.) finished eighth in 18:21.35.

Wellesley's 17 point haul in the event helped the Blue hold on to second place in the team standings following day one of competition. Only Misericordia has a higher total with 20 points.

Junior Edie Sharon (Winchester, Mass.) and senior Alessandra Gavin (Annapolis, Md.) added 15th (18:43.95) and 16th place (18:43.95) finishes, respectively, in the 5000m.

Wellesley continues the ECAC Championships tomorrow, March 5, at 10:00 AM. The Blue are scheduled to compete in the Mile, 400m Dash, 1000m Run, Long Jump, 200m Dash and the 3000m Run.