MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.- The Ave Maria University track teams competed for the final time before conference championships are handed out next week, as the Gyrenes entered the Bobcat Pre-Conference Meet, hosted by St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens. The Gyrenes set a host of new personal and team records, and placed on the podium in several events. The women took center stage with an overall runner-up finish, while the men placed fifth.
The Gyrene women placed on the podium in seven events, including a pair of gold medals. AMU placed first in the 4 x 400 meter relay, as the team of Madison Thomas, Felicity Foxhoven, Regina Pirolli, and Theresa Long crossed the finish line in 4:31.03. Maria Talafuse was also a first place finisher, running uncontested in the 1500 meter race walk and finishing with a time of 35:04.58.
Three more Gyrenes earned individual spots on the podium. Theresa Long, who currently ranks second in The Sun Conference in the event, placed second in the 800 meter race, while Mackenzie Thomas finished second in the 5000 meters in her AMU debut.
Caitlyn O'Brien, the current Sun Conference leader in the long jump, placed second behind an unattached jumper with a jump of 5.59 meters. O'Brien was also part of AMU's 4x100 meter relay team, along with Abbey Phibbs, Elena Barnes, Casey Humphrey The quarte placed second overall with a time of 52.96 seconds. Rebecca Perona rounded out AMU's medalists, placing third in both the javelin and the shot put.
Ave Maria's men added two more podium finishes to the effort, with the team earning top three finishes in the 110 meter hurdles and the javelin. Running the hurdles for the first time in his college career, Samuel Pilkington finished third, running the event in 22.91. AMU's top finish of the day was provided by Dominic Morgan, who placed second overall in the javelin with a throw of 49.04m, the new school record in the event.
Adam Paga also recorded his best time of the season in the 800 meter race, crossing the finish line in a school record time of 1:56.24. Paga's time ranks fourth in The Sun Conference heading into next week's Sun Conference Championships. Paga is considered AMU's best shot at a Sun Conference title on the men's side, currently ranking first in the conference in the 1500 meter race.
AMU now turns their attention to next week's Sun Conference Championships, held Saturday and Sunday in Daytona Beach. The Gyrenes will look to add to their three indoor championships, with several AMU athletes expected to compete for podium finishes.
