Six From Wellesley Track & Field Compete at BU's Valentine Invitational

BOSTON, Mass. -- First year Ava Yokanovich (Stillwater, Minn.) ran to a New England DIII Championship qualifying time in the 400m to lead Wellesley College track & field on Friday at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational, hosted by Boston University at the BU Track and Tennis Center. 

Yokanovich finished second in her heat with a personal record (PR) time of 1:01.00 in the 400m. Yokanovich was 123rd overall out of 172 participants at the cross divisional meet. Earlier in the day, senior Cathy Chen (Parsippany, N.J.) took eighth overall and fourth in her heat in the 60m Hurdles, running to a time of 9.74 seconds. Later in the afternoon, junior Tatenda Rameau (Syracuse, N.Y.) ran to a time of 26.84 in the 200m, finishing 143rd overall and third in her heat with a PR, breaking the mark of 27.02 that she set at last year's Valentine Invitational, where she also finished 143rd overall.  

Sophomore Grace Cowles (Yarmouth, Maine) was the leader among a trio of milers that closed out the event for the Blue. Cowles finished in 5:09.41, taking 92nd overall and second in her heat, with a new PR and an NE DIII qualifying mark. Cowles already qualified for the NE DIII Championships earlier this season at Smith. First year Maya Bradbury (Freeport, Maine) followed with a PR time of 5:19.17 to finish 140th overall and fifth in her heat, while junior Eva Paradiso (Burlington, Vt.) was 142nd overall (5:19.29) and third in her heat in he first collegiate apperance in the event.

The rest of the Blue Track & Field squad returns to action tomorrow at MIT's Gordon Kelly Invitational.