FAIRFAX, Va., Jan. 26, 2013- The James Madison track & field team saw two more relay teams post qualifying times for indoor postseason competition when the Dukes took first and second place in the 4x800-meter relay at the Patriot Games on Saturday. JMU also competed in the second day of the Hokie Invitational in Blacksburg, Va.
Sophomore Kristen Landry (Boonton Township, N.J./Mountain Lakes) anchored the winning team, crossing the finish line at the 9:08.86 to qualify for the Eastern College Athletic Conference indoor championships. Senior Katie Harman (Clarksville, Md./River Hill) started the race before handing the baton to junior Erin Lopresti (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley). Sophomore Morgan Sheaffer (New Bloomfield, Pa./West Perry) ran the third leg of the relay.
The second-place team of Dukes saw sophomore Tiel Westbrook (Mechanicsville, Va./Lee-Davis) line up for the start of the race with sophomore Kelsey Langton (Hamilton Square, N.J./Notre Dame H.S.) in the second wave of runners. Junior Kelsey Seymour (Ebensburg, Pa./Central Cambria) took the second handoff before freshman Caroline Morris (Fredericksburg, Va./James Monroe) rounded out the race for JMU. The team's time of 9:11.43 also qualified them for the ECAC indoor championships in March.
At the Hokie Invitational in Blacksburg, Va., the Dukes finished eighth and 11th in the 4x400-meter relay on Saturday after the race was moved from its original Friday slot. The James Madison 'A' team of senior Whitney Staton (Fredericksburg, Va./Chancellor), freshman Kalyn Simmons (Woodbridge, Va./Osbourn Park), senior Maria McDonald (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East) and senior Jaime Lott (Fredericksburg, Va./Courtland) finished the race in 3:57.46, less than five seconds off the ECAC qualifying time of 3:52.54. The James Madison 'B' team of senior JaQuonna Lott (Fredericksburg, Va./Courtland), freshman Justice Seward (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem), freshman Anna Harpster (Lovettsville, Va./Woodgrove) and senior Gabrielle Poore (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson) crossed the line in 4:06.81.
JMU will head to State College, Pa. next weekend where the Dukes will compete in the Sykes & Sabock Challenge Cup on Saturday, February 2.
PATRIOT GAMES
Women 4x400-Meter Relay
7 James Madison 'A' 4:01.60 Caroline Morris, Westbrook, Sheaffer, Waddell
Women 4x800-Meter Relay
1 James Madison 'A' 9:08.86 Harman, Lopresti, Sheaffer, Landry
2 James Madison 'B' 9:11.43 Westbrook, Langton, Seymour, Caroline Morris
HOKIE INVITATIONAL
Women 200-meter Dash
22 Justice Seward 26.08 sec
23 Rachel Williams 26.50 sec
24 Ashley Williams 26.78 sec
Women 400-Meter Dash
16 Destiny Simmons 58.40 sec
19 Jaime Lott 1:00.83
Women 4x400-meter Relay
8 James Madison 'A' 3:57.46 Staton, K. Simmons, Maria McDonald, Jaime Lott
11 James Madison 'B' 4:06.81 JaQuonna Lott, Seward, Harpster, Poore
Long Jump
8 Marissa McDonald 5.59 meters
11 Lauren Privette 5.35 meters
17 Whitney Staton 5.14 meters
