University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Big East Outdoor Track & Field Championship
UConn Ready for Return to BIG EAST Championships this Weekend
5/13/2021 10:51:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
WATCH on BIG EAST Digital Network - Day 1Â Day 2
STORRS, Conn. – The UConn women's track and field team are set to compete in their first BIG EAST Outdoor Championship since the 2013 season as they head out to the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio for the two-day title meet this weekend.
The championship meet will kick-off on Friday, May 14 and conclude on Saturday, May 15 with both day's events being broadcast on the BIG EAST Digital Network.Â
UConn made their return to the BIG EAST this season and will be competing in their first championship meet since the 2020 indoor season. The Huskies have a pair of BIG EAST Outdoor championships in program history, in 1986 and 1995. UConn was the runner-up in the last BIG EAST championship they competed in back in 2013.
The Huskies have been building all spring season and have been putting pieced together to have a strong championship weekend. "The women have been coming along and coming together all year long," stated Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Greg Roy. "I think we are at a point where this will be a tight meet and it will come down to can we get those championship performances. This is going to be a 'track meet'. I can't look at it and tell you who's going to win. I think we are right there and it's going to come down to that day."
UConn slid down to the No. 2 spot in the USTFCCCA Northeast Regional rankings after being off last week. The Huskies had been at the top for four-straight weeks.
Several Huskies enter the weekend at or near the top of the BIG EAST rankings and are in position to score for UConn at the meet. On the track, junior Shanelle Colmon (East Brunswick, N.J.) is among the top runners in the 200 meters, ranked second (23.75) and in the 400 meters, ranked fourth (54.71). Freshman Brianna Davis (Bay Shore, N.Y.) has been impressive in her rookie year and sits fourth in the rankings in the 100-meter dash (11.92).
In the 5,000 meters, seniors Mia Nahom (New Fairfield, Conn.) and Danielle Jordan (Clifton Park, N.Y.) and junior Randi Burr (Westery, R.I.) are all among the top-eight in the conference rankings. Nahom (16:07.78) and Jordan (16:08.14) are fourth and fifth and Burr (16:19.33) sits eighth.
Nahom and Jordan are also set to run the 3000-meter steeplechase, and event then are third and fifth in the conference heading in. Nahom set a new school record in the event last time she ran in Virginia at 10:10.76.
In the field events, senior Taylor Woods (Marlboro, Md.) has the top long jump distance in the conference this season at 6.38 meters. Freshman Jasmine Barrow (Athens, Ga.) is fourth in the event (5.90m). The Huskies have the top-three triple jumps this spring led by three freshmen. Zayin Roe (Richmond, Va.) is tops at 12.33 meters, followed by Barrow (12.27m) and Felicia Quainoo (Metuchen, N.J.) (12.00m).
Senior Chanell Botsis (Coquitlam, British Columbia) is tops in the league in the hammer at 61.09 meters and junior Mikyla Rodgers (South Huntington, N.Y.) is third at 57.63 meters. Botsis and sophomore teammate Julia Moraitis (Wilbraham, Mass.) sit second and third in the javelin at 46.88 meters and 44.14 meters, respectively.
Junior Emma Chee (Bainbridge Island, Wash.) has set new PRs all spring in the pole vault and is second among conference leaders at 4.05 meters.
Senior Kelly Ward (Oxford, Conn.) will compete in the heptathlon and had the top performance this season when she scored 4,777 points at Navy.
"For the women to get the win, we have to step up," "We have a lot of kids ready to assume a leadership role and have this spring. We are looking to see our captains lead us. Competitors compete, that's what we say around here. We compete to win every time we step foot on the track."
Players Mentioned
