The women’s 4x400m relay team competes during a meet at Rose-Hulman in 2024. (RHIT Athletics)

The WashU track and field teams kicked off the second half of their season with a strong performance at the John Craft Invitational, hosted by Eastern Illinois University on Jan. 18. Competing against a mix of Division I and II programs, the Bears showcased their depth and talent across track and field events. 

Women’s team: Leading the pack

The women’s team had an outstanding meet, delivering top performance across track and field events. Junior Jenae Bothe placed third in the weight throw with a throw of 14.52 meters before claiming victory in the shot put with a 13.59-meter effort.

In the 60-meter dash, junior Jasmine Wright secured first place with a time of 7.71 seconds, followed by senior Lauren Gay in second with 7.83 seconds. The Bears continued their sprint success in the 200-meter event, where first-year Quinn Bird placed second with a time of 26.61 seconds, just ahead of Wright in third. 

WashU’s dominance extended to the 600-meter run, with junior Elizabeth Wagner clocking in at 1:38.61 to win the event, followed by senior Ruby Kaplan in second at 1:41.24. 

The mile was another highlight, featuring a second-place finish from senior Virginia Pridgen (5:07.26), third from first-year Mackenzie Raue (5:12.43), and fifth from senior Sophie Bekins (5:17.69). In the 3,000 meter, junior Jillian Heth claimed the win with a time of 10:00.64, while first-year Sofia Sheldon (10:23.85) and senior Abigail Patterson (10:26.49) placed third and fourth, respectively.

The pole vault proved to be a highlight event for WashU. Senior Yasmin Ruff, the defending outdoor national champion, cleared 3.65 meters for first place. Teammates senior Makenzie Stock (3.35m), sophomore Meredyth Barr (3.20m), and first-year Madison Elhaik (3.05m) completed a sweep of the following three spots.

The 400 meter belonged entirely to WashU, with the team securing the top-six finishes. First-year Hailey Weir led the way with 59.19 seconds, followed by junior Kylie Spytek and senior Nicole Stewart with 59.24 and 59.81 seconds, respectively. 

The day culminated in the 4×400-meter relay, where WashU teams swept the top-three spots. The winning squad of sophomore Julia Coric, sophomore Gayle Henderson, Bird, and Wagner crossed the line with a time of 4:01.63.

Men’s team: Rising to the challenge

The Bears also put together a series of impressive performances on the men’s side. Sophomore Peter Lichtenberger took first in the pole vault, clearing 4.90 meters and out-jumping the second-place finisher by over half a meter. Junior George Bourdier added to the team’s success in the event, finishing third with a height of 4.45 meters.

The middle-distance events highlighted the men’s strength and resilience. In the mile, junior James Corbett outpaced the field to win at 4:20.31. First-year Caleb Brox (4:23.28) and senior Fernando Ribeiro Duraes (4:26.63) rounded out the top five, contributing valuable performances.

Corbett’s dominance didn’t stop there. He returned in the 800-meter run to secure another first-place victory with 1:58.87, narrowly beating junior teammate Brandon Brazil’s time of 1:59.27. First-year Dionte Obertein completed the podium sweep for WashU, finishing in 2:01.94.

In the 3,000 meter, sophomore Conor Daly (8:34.88) and senior Matthew Hornung (8:36.73) finished second and third in a closely contested race. 

The Bears, who are targeting the upcoming Bob Teel Invitational hosted by Division I’s University of Missouri, will look to build on this momentum. The meet, which will take place on Jan. 25, will offer tougher competition and further opportunities for WashU to hone its skills and achieve season-best performances.