University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Track & Field Athletes Look for Strong Showing at ECAC Championships this Weekend
3/4/2016 5:34:00 PM | Track & Field - Indoor
BOSTON -- Led by defending champion Amira Idris in the triple jump, the University of Delaware women's indoor track & field team will be looking for some strong showings this weekend when the Blue Hens take part in the annual Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Indoor Championships at Boston University's Track & Tennis Center.
Eight Blue Hen athletes will be competing in nine events during the weekend with action beginning Saturday, March 5 at 3 p.m. and concluding Sunday, March 6. The meet includes all of the top NCAA Division I teams in the East with only athletes who met qualifying standards during the regular season competing.
Competing for the Blue Hens will be freshman Ashley Bailey in the pole vault (Saturday at 3 p.m.), sophomore Sarah Hillman in the shot put (Sunday at 9:30 a.m.), senior Idris in the long jump (Saturday at 3 p.m.) and triple jump (Sunday at 9:30 a.m.), junior Tyler Jackson in the 200 meters (Saturday at 5:20 p.m.), freshman Carly Pettipaw in the 800 meters (Saturday at 4:50 p.m.), and sophomore Tyra Reid in the 200 meters (Saturday at 5:20 p.m.) and 400 meters (Saturday at 4:15 p.m.). Pettipaw also qualified for the 500 meters but will not compete in that event this weekend.
The 4 x 400 meter relay team of junior Carolyn Darr, Pettipaw, Reid, and senior Michelle Simmons will compete on Saturday at 6 p.m. with hopes of advancing to Sunday's finals. Jackson and freshman Bema Amponsah will be the alternates in the relay.
“We are looking to have some good performances this weekend,” said Delaware head coach Wendy McFarlane-Smith, who led her team to an all-time UD best eighth place team showing in 2014. “All things equal, I think this group has what it takes to be first place contenders in their events. It will certainly be a greater challenge for Tyra Reid, Amira Idris, and Carly Pettipaw, who are competing in more than one event, but we hope that their hard work this season will pay off.”
Delaware will be looking to crown an ECAC champion for the third straight year after LaToya James won the 60 meter hurdles in 2013 and Idris claimed the triple jump title at last year's meet. Idris will be competing at the meet for the fourth time in her career and will be looking to earn All-East (Top 10) honors for the fourth time following last year's victory in the triple jump and second place showing in the long jump and her sixth place finish in the triple jump in 2012. She also placed 13th in the triple jump event in 2013.
Hillman also earned All-East honors last season as a freshman when she placed sixth in the shot put. Already the school record-holder in the event, Hillman captured three individual meet titles this season in the shot put.
Jackson will be competing at the ECAC meet for the third straight year while Darr, Reid, and Simmons will make their second appearances.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129
Players Mentioned
