University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Valentine Invite
Huskies return to Boston for Valentine Invite
2/5/2019 1:00:00 PM | Women's Track and Field
STORRS, Conn.—The UConn women's track and field team will compete at the Valentine Invite, circling back to Boston, Mass. on Feb. 8th.
A look back
Last season at the Valentine Invite, UConn tabbed two first-place finishes along with 11 top-10 performances. The Huskies had an impressive showing during the field events, with five throwers finishing in the top-5. Divine Oladipo and Amaris Blount were both crowned victorious in their respective events. And, to complete the sweep in the Weight Throw Chanell Botsis and Kelli Thomas finishes second and third respectively. Furthermore, in the field events UConn placed two in the top-10 in the Pole Vault, in Laurel Bailey and Nicole Kelly. On the track, Tia Strackman and Ashley Wiggins successfully nabbed spots in the finals of the 60 Meter Hurdles to finish second and third. Susan Aneno's fourth place finish in the 800 Meters came at a time of 2:04.65 and Kat Surin crossed the finish line in the 400 Meter Dash at 54.42 to take seventh place.
The last meet
This quick turnaround is the first this season for UConn but will be a great test to the streaking Huskies who have been red-hot since the first meet of the indoor season. UConn has broken several school records thus far and has establish new personal records at every meet they've competed at. Just last week at the Scarlet & White Invite, Surin and Oladipo broke school records in the 400 Meter Dash at 53.19 and the Shot Put at 16.88m. This success was in addition to 21 personal bests set by other student-athletes during the meet as well as Surin and the 4x400 Meter Relay Team's (3:38.83, fastest this season and second in school history) national marks. All in all at the Scarlet & White Invite, the Huskies took home a total of six first-place victories; Emma Chee—Pole Vault, Kelly Ward—High Jump, Blount—Weight Throw, 4x400 Meter Relay Team (Kristina Cherrington, Shanelle Colmon, Surin, Aneno), Surin—400m, and Oladipo—Shot Put. For her tremendous performances, Surin was also named the American Athletic Conference's Female Track Athlete of the Week.
With four very successful meets passed, UConn is upward bound and trending in the correct direction for the championship part of the season. Please head to the schedule page, here, for important links for this weekend's meets.
So far this season
Nittany Lion Challenge
- Three first-place finishes; Aneno—Mile, Blount—Weight Throw, and Oladipo—Shot Put
Vanderbilt Invitational
- Broke three different Vandy school records
- 800m—Aneno, second place at 2:03.94, No.2 time in the country at that time
- Long Jump—Taylor Woods, sixth place at 6.03m
- Weight Throw—Blount, fifth place at 19.13m
Columbia Challenge
- Head Coach J.J. Clark switched up student-athlete roles during the meet to better prepare them for the champion part of the season and the Huskies notched 22 top-20 finishes while continuing to establish personal records in various events
Players Mentioned
