Mondo Wins Steeplechase, Women's Track Shines at Rider

Sophomore Madeline Mondo highlighted a selection of solid Central Connecticut women's track performances on Saturday, April 8th at the Rider Invite in Lawrenceville, N.J. Mondo was the 3,000 meter steeplechase champion as she clocked in a personal best time of 11:27.48. Mondo cut off a whole 12 seconds off of her previous fastest steeplechase time of 11:39.76. CCSU placed third overall out of 15 other colleges with a total of 89 points.

The Blue Devils took home three more second place finishes in the 200 meter dash, 400 meter hurdles, and the javelin. In her first time competing in the event, freshman Megan Brawner took the runner-up spot in the 800m with a time of 2:21.57. CCSU hurdle specialist, junior Melissa Wolliston completed the 400 meter hurdles in 1:04.69 to place in second. Freshman Gianna D'Amato rounded out the Central second place performances with a 37.66 meter javelin throw.

The CCSU 4x400 meter relay team, consisting of sophomore McKenna Kilian, freshmen Erica Snape, Wileshka Samuel, and senior Sherise Truman, shined with a third place finishing time of 4:07.28.

Wolliston added a third place 100 meter dash finish to her successful day, clocking in at 14.69. Sophomore Sierra Nesmith followed in seventh with personal record mark of 14.98. Freshman Hailey Rospierski placed 10th (15.26) and senior Sarah Hicks ran a 15.38.

Truman represented CCSU in the 100 meter dash, ending in 12.83 in sixth place. Snape also record a sixth place finish in the 200m (25.97), and Samuel grabbed the ninth spot (26.21). Following in Wolliston's tracks in the 400 meter dash was Nesmith in sixth (1:06.20) and Kilian in seventh (1:06.42).

Out in the field, Toomey threw the javelin 36.78 meters (fourth place), and led Central in the hammer throw, falling in 11th place with a distance of 37.97m. Freshman Valeria Hernandez marked her best finish of the day in 11th place in the discus (32.06m).

In the women's high jump, Rospierski took fifth (1.65m), while Kilian and rookie Kadizha Benjamin placed eighth with a leap of 1.55 meters.

The Central Connecticut women's outdoor track team will pick back up this Thursday and Friday, April 13th-14th at the Southern Connecticut State University Decathlon.