University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Virginia Challenge
UConn Splits Squad at Navy and UVA Meets
4/15/2021 12:22:00 PM | Women's Track and Field
STORRS, Conn. – The UConn track and field team will split their squad up this weekend as they head to a pair of meets, taking part in the Navy Spring Meet at the U.S. Naval Academy and the Virginia Challenge at UVA on Friday and Saturday.
UConn will send a total of eight distance runners to compete at the Virginia meet and 30 members of both the men's and women's programs to compete at Navy this weekend.
"Both meets this weekend are non-scoring so our focus is on getting the highest individual performances and getting our athletes the NCAA qualifying marks, they are looking for," stated Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Greg Roy. "We are looking to do what's best for the athletes in regards to where they are at this point in the season. And equally, we are hitting the turning point of the season where we are headed towards championships. We are starting to look to see who we have ready to go and can be in the mix as we go for a BIG EAST Championship."
The Husky men rolled to wins over UAlbany, URI and SCSU last weekend in their second of three home meets this spring and enter the weekend still holding down the No. 1 spot in the USTFCCCA Northeast Regional rankings.
After last weekend's home wins over UAlbany, Northeastern and URI, the UConn women have climbed to the top of the USTFCCCA Northeast Regional rankings this week.
The Huskies also have the reigning BIG EAST Men's and Women's Field Athletes of the Week after juniors Michael Jeffers (Clifton Park, N.Y.) and Emma Chee (Bainbridge Island, Wash.) grabbed this week's honors.
Jeffers recorded a personal best in the javelin with the top throw in the BIG EAST this year at 64.06 meters. The distance ranks 66th among all Division I competitors this season. Chee won the pole vault for the second time this spring and had her best height outdoors to set a school outdoor record for the second-straight week. Chee posted her top outdoor height of her career at 4.05 meters. She sits atop the BIG EAST rankings and ranks 38th nationally.
Some of the other notable Huskies in the national rankings include juniors Noah Woodman (Hampstead, N.H.) and Wellington Ventura (Cresskill, N.J.), who rank 38th and 47th, respectively, in the 400 meters. Woodman is 66th in the 200 meters and Ventura is 38th in the 400-meter hurdles as well. Sophomore Stephen Sutton (Tolland, Conn.) is 49th in the 800 meters.
In the jumps, senior Safir Scott (Greenwich, Conn.) ranks 28th in the triple jump, sophomore Travis Snyder (Saco, Maine) is 39th in the pole vaults and senior Daniel Claxton (Nesconset, N.Y.) is 48th in the high jump. In the throws, junior Chris Keegan (West Hartford, Conn.) is 44th in the hammer.
On the women's side, seniors Danelle Jordan (Clifton Park, N.Y.) and Mia Nahom (New Milford, Conn.) are tied for 31st nationally in the 3000-meter steeplechase. In the jumps, senior Taylor Woods (Marlboro, Md.) is 32nd in the long jump and in the throws senior Chanell Botsis (Coquitlam, British Columbia) ranks 44th in the hammer and 71st in the javelin.
Following this weekend's action both Husky teams will return home next weekend to host their final home meet of the spring, the UConn Northeast Invitational with Brown, Northeastern, Rhode Island and Southern Connecticut State.
Players Mentioned
