University of Delaware Athletics
Freshmen Lead the Way for Delaware Women's Indoor Track & Field at Season-Opening Pyrah Invitational
12/2/2011 12:53:00 AM | Track & Field - Indoor
HAVERFORD, Pa. -- It was quite a debut for the University of Delaware women's indoor track & field team and freshman Amira Idris Friday night at Haverford College's Alumni Field House.
The Blue Hens kicked off the 2011-12 season with a strong performance at the Jack Pyrah Invitational, capturing three first place finishes led by a big effort from Idris, who won both the long jump and triple jump competitions in her collegiate debut.
Overall, Delaware athletes posted 12 top five finishes at the meet, which was hosted by Villanova University.
Idris, a freshman from Woodbridge, Va. (C.D. Hylton High School), won the triple jump with a leap of 39-feet, 2 1/4-inches to set a new meet and University of Delaware freshman and overall record while also qualifying for the ECAC Championships, which will be held in March. She also won the long jump competition with a distance of 18-1 1/2 and was sixth in the 55 meters with a clocking of 7.39.
Her distance in the triple jump broke the previous school and freshman record of 37-9 3/4 established by Lissy Dean back in 2004.
Idris wasn't the only freshman to star in her debut Friday night. A fellow rookie - Toresha Foster - also excelled as she won the high jump competition with a leap of 5-1 while also placing third in the 300 meters with a time of 41.17.
“I was very proud of all the performances at the meet today,” said Delaware head coach Wendy McFarlane. “Everyone is working hard and they are already seeing results. We look forward to greater success as the season moves on.”
Also for Delaware, Courtney Markow (at right) was second in the pole vault (11-3 3/4), Kelsey Evancho was second in the high jump (5-1), Courtney Sniscak was third in the weight throw (43-7), Alexandra Carroll was fourth in the 800 meters (2:24.0), Alyson Leppla was fifth in the shot put (35-6 3/4) and sixth in the weight throw (33-1 1/4), Jennifer Holly was fifth in the pole vault (11-3 3/4), and the 4 x 400 meter relay team of Breanna Nicholson, Alexandra Gervais, Kelly Donovan, and Carroll finished fifth with a time of 4:07.77.
Delaware will take the next month off for exams and holiday break before returning to action Jan. 6 when the Hens host the Delaware Invitational at the Delaware Field House.
AGATE:
Delaware Finishers: 1st Place - Amira Idris, long jump (18-1 1/2), triple jump (39-2 1/4; UD/Meet Record); Toresha Foster, high jump (5-1); 2nd Place - Courtney Markow, pole vault (11-3 3/4); Kelsey Evancho, high jump (5-1); 3rd Place - Courtney Sniscak, weight throw (43-7); Toresha Foster, 300m (41.17); 4th Place - Alexandra Carroll, 800m (2:24.0); 5th Place - Alyson Leppla, shot put (35-6 3/4); Jennifer Holly, pole vault (11-3 3/4); 4 x 400m Relay A (Nicholson, Gervais, Donovan, Carroll), 4:07.77; Rachel Wasserman, 1,000m (3:07.62); 6th Place - Alyson Leppla, weight throw (33-1 1/4); Alexandra Gervais, 800m (2:25.72); Amira Idris, 55m (7.39); 7th Place - Jessica McDonald, triple jump (33 1/2); Miranda Reinson, pole vault (10-0); Haley Gorenflo, pole vault (10-0); Alexis Gligor, pole vault (10-0); 4 x 400m Relay B (Shepherd, Foster, Walker, Wasserman), 4:09.94; 8th Place - Karissa Carty, triple jump (32-9 1/2); Breanna Nicholson, 500m (1:21.24); 14th Place - Sydney Shepherd - 300m (43.56);15th Place - Karissa Carty, long jump (15-9 3/4); 16th Place - McKensie Walker, 500m (1:23.19); 19th Place - Kelley Donovan, 300m (44.42); 21st Place - Alexandra Muro, 300m (44.71); 25th Place - Kelsey Evancho, 300m (45.92); 33rd Place - Haley Gorenflo, 300m (48.18).
