Toman Resets School Record as Lehigh Finishes Second at Angry Birds Challenge

Saturday, January 13

Bethlehem, Pa.

All Day

Lehigh University

Angry Birds Invitational

Photo by: Don Paul

Toman Resets School Record as Lehigh Finishes Second at Angry Birds Challenge

1/13/2018 6:29:00 PM | Women's Track and Field

Complete Results: TFRRS | PDF

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Junior Kaitlyn Toman broke the Lehigh program record in the pole vault on Saturday afternoon at Rauch Fieldhouse as the Mountain Hawks finished second at the Angry Birds Challenge. Sophomore Jordan Otto also took home an individual title in the high jump and four Mountain Hawks earned runner-up finishes at the meet that featured Lehigh, Monmouth, St. Joseph's and Fairleigh Dickinson. Monmouth took first place with 197 points, followed by Lehigh (146), St. Joseph's (88) and FDU (71).

Toman nailed down the new program record by clearing 3.67 meters, besting the previous record by one centimeter that was set by freshman teammate Madisyn Hawkins last month. Toman, who held the record prior to Hawkins, once again holds the school's top indoor and outdoor vaults.

"It is just great accomplishment and we are in for a fun roller coaster ride between those two," head coach Matt Utesch said.

Elsewhere in the field events, Otto PR-ed by five centimeters, clearing 1.70m to take home the high jump title. Teammate Tyler Bannister also landed on the podium with team points in third place (1.60m). Freshman Brett DeWeese led the way for LU in the long jump with her fourth place leap of 5.31m.

"I'm super excited about her and she's jumping right where I thought she could jump," Utesch said of Otto. " She has been to some pretty big meet and is no stranger to high bars. I'm confident we can see her make 5'9 this year and I'm looking forward to watching her continue to develop."

In the throws, Amanda Youngblood (13.25m) and Brittany Curtin (13.18m) paced the Mountain Hawks in fifth and six places, respectively. Over in the weight throw, Curtin, the reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Week, came in third place at 16.38m, with Paige Grossman (16.02m) also scoring in fifth place.

Over on the track, the Mountain Hawks picked up big points with a pair of second place finishes in the distance events. Freshman Susie Poore made her collegiate debut with a runner-up performance in the 3,000m, turning in a time of 10:12.30.

"I think that's what we need our freshman," Utesch said. "When they push the upperclassmen, we are a better team."

Junior Stacie Nadel followed up her second place performance in the 3K last week another runner-up showing this week in the 5K. Her time of 18:26.14 bested her previous PR by over 13 seconds. Grace Eckstein (19:29.95) also scored team points in fifth.

Mariah Kozub qualified for the finals of the 60m hurdles, where she landed on the podium in third place (9.23), and Liyala Dickens qualified for the finals of the 60m dash, where she finished eighth (8.18). In the 200m dash, freshman Morgan McConnell (26.63) rounded out the podium in third place and Dickens (27.15) also scored four team points with her sixth place finish. Sophomore Brooke Schaeffer grabbed runner-up in the 400m dash in 59.37, coming in three spots ahead of fourth place finisher McConnell (1:00.94), and Erin Racano (PR-1:01.33) who came in fifth.

In the 800m, the Brown and White swept spots three, four and five courtesy of Hanna Brosky (2:17.79) in third, Mary Casey (2:18.95) in fourth and Sophie Antonioli (2:20.11) in fifth. Out of the 26 runners in the mile, Lehigh landed four in the top six overall, led by Clare Severe (5:06.40) in second place. Ashleigh Crawford (5:07.89) set a new PR to score team points in third, followed by Diana Hammerstone (5:13.47) in fifth and Stephanie Hayes (5:14.03) in sixth.

Lehigh also earned team points from the 4,000m DMR team.

Lehigh will compete once again at Rauch Fieldhouse next Saturday when they host the annual dual meet against rival Lafayette.

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