Five ECAC Qualifiers Highlight Blue Hens First Meet of 2020

Saturday, January 11

Staten Island, N.Y.

University of Delaware

Great Dane Classic

Photo by: Ryan Griffith

Five ECAC Qualifiers Highlight Blue Hens First Meet of 2020

1/11/2020 9:55:00 PM | Track & Field

Full Results Full Results (PDF)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The University of Delaware track & field team wanted to set the tone for 2020 right from the start.

With five ECAC qualifying marks, the Blue Hens did just that at the Great Dane Classic in Staten Island this past weekend, their first meet back from winter break.

Sophomore Halima Scott (200m and 400m), senior Michaela Meyer (mile) and juniors Mackenzie Jones(3000m) and Susanna Weir (5000m) all clocked in with times good for ECAC Championships in March.

In total, Delaware had eight top-five performances, five top-10 performances in school history and one freshman record.

"It was great to be competing again and I'm extremely proud of our team energy. The way our girls support each other is tremendous and it really shows the team chemistry this group has," head coach Wendy McFarlane-Smith said. "Being the first meet back from break, I thought we had some rust to knock off, but we saw some great performances and we can't wait to continue to work and build on those performances for a very bright future."

Scott grabbed one of the Blue Hens' three victories on the day, taking home the top spot in the 400m with a time of 56.05. She followed that up with a fourth-place finish in the 200m in a time of 24.73. Both times were ECAC qualifiers and top-five performances in program history.

Meyer continued to impress, winning the mile for the second consecutive meet, clocking in at 4:48.33, which is the fifth-best time posted so far in the entire country. It's also the third-best time in program history.

Jones was the third Blue Hen to pick up a win, crossing the line in 9:54.12 to claim the top spot in the 3000m. It's her second ECAC qualifying mark of the season and the fourth-best time in school history.

Weir was the fifth ECAC qualifier, finishing second in the 5000m with a time of 17:24.94, which is a top-10 time in program history.

Freshman thrower Gabrielle Holliday set the tone right from the beginning, starting Delaware's day by setting a freshman record with a toss of 48' 6 ¾".

Up Next

The Blue Hens return to action in two weeks when they travel to the George Mason Invitational (Friday, Jan. 24) and the Gulden Invitational (Saturday, Jan. 25).