Outdoor Track & Field Opens Season at Jerry Gravel Classic

WESTFIELD, Mass. (March 29, 2008) - The Mount Holyoke College women's outdoor track and field team kicked off its 2008 slate at the Jerry Gravel Classic hosted by Westfield State College today, taking third place overall. Leading the way for the Lyons was senior Grace Zeigler (Oak Hill, Ill./Neuqua Valley), who grabbed first place in both the 100-meter dash (13.62) and the long jump (4.65 meters).

Westfield State amassed 221 points en route to the team title. The Coast Guard Academy was next with 169 points, while Mount Holyoke rounded out the top three with 90 points. UMass Dartmouth (68), the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (18), Colby-Sawyer College (17) and American International College (14) completed the seven-squad field.

Senior Halaina Demba (Harvard, Mass./Bromfield) fared well in the 1,500-meter run, grabbing second place with a personal record time of 4:59.99. Several other Lyons achieved personal bests in the distance races, including senior Carolyn Colome (Newport Beach, Calif.), who took home fifth place in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:37.23.

Another senior, Caroline Gillaspie (Athens, N.Y./Coxsackie-Athens), turned in a second place result in the high jump with height of 1.55 meters. It was her best jump of the season. Meanwhile, sophomore Caitlin McDermott (Easthampton, Mass./Williston) achieved a personal record in the hammer throw. Her distance of 24.91 meters was good for fourth place. McDermott was the Lyons lone four-event competitor, as she also participated in the shot put, discus and 100-meter dash.

The Mount Holyoke Invitational will take place next Saturday at the College's newly constructed track and field complex. It will be the facility's first ever track and field event.

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