University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Big East Outdoor Track & Field Championship
UConn Women Ready to Challenge for BIG EAST Title at Home
5/12/2022 9:10:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
STORRS, Conn. – For the first time since the spring of 2007, the BIG EAST Outdoor Track & Field Championship comes to Storrs this weekend with the defending champion UConn Huskies looking to defend their title on their home turf.
All the action will take place at the George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex on Friday and Saturday, May 13 and 14. The championship event is open to the public and admission is free. Parking is available in the South Garage.
Fans can also follow along online with the live video stream at FloTrack along with Live Results.
The BIG EAST Outdoor Championship returns to Storrs for the first time since 2007. The Huskies were scheduled to host last spring's title meet in their return season to the conference, but the site was moved due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This will mark the fifth time the BIG EAST Championship will be held on the UConn campus (2022, 2007, 2006, 2003, 2002).
The UConn women captured their third BIG EAST Indoor Championship back in February and took that momentum right into the spring season. The Huskies took home the team title at their two home meets this spring, the UConn Dog Fight and the UConn Northeast Challenge.
Last spring, in their return season to the BIG EAST, the Huskies led after day one of the outdoor championship and finished second, setting a new program high by piling up 157.5 total points on the weekend. UConn had nine medal winning performances including three individual titles at the meet. The Huskies are on the hunt for the program's third BIG EAST Outdoor title and sixth overall track championship. The took home the trophy outdoors in 1986 and 1995.
Junior Emma Chee (Bainbridge Island, Wash.) has had a record-breaking spring season as she looks to defend her gold medal in the pole vault. Chee also won gold at the BIG EAST Indoor Championship back in February. She broke her own school record this spring and leads the conference rankings and is ranked 23rd in the nation.
Junior Patricia Mroczkowski (Berlin, Conn.) took a big leap this spring and enters the weekend at the top of the high jump rankings. She won the event at the indoor championship and leads the conference rankings and won four BIG EAST Field Athlete of the Week awards this spring. Her top height of 1.83 meters this spring is ranked 12th in the NCAA.
Sophomore Jasmine Barrow (Athens, Ga.) is the defending BIG EAST champion in the triple jump and is the current leader in the conference. Barrow is also the Huskies' top-ranked long jumper at fourth in the league. Her classmate Felicia Quainoo (Metuchen, N.J.) comes in ranked fourth among league leaders and won the event at the indoor championship in February.
On the track, senior Mia Nahom (New Milford, Conn.) is out to put the stamp on a sensational UConn career in her final conference championship go-around. Nahom won silver last spring in the 5000 meters and 3,000 meter steeplechase and will run the 1,500 and steeplechase this weekend. She is currently ranked third in the BIG EAST and 23rd nationally in the steeplechase.
Freshman Gabby Davis (Franklin Park, N.J.) is coming in ranked at the top of the 400 meter hurdles league rankings thanks to a school record setting performance at Navy at the end of April.
In the throws, junior Mikyla Rodgers (South Huntington, N.Y.) won the weight throw at the BIG EAST indoor championship and comes in to the weekend ranked second currently in the hammer. Her throw of 58.95 meters at the Huskies last home meet is her best this year and is 83rd in the national rankings.
Freshman Emily Alty (Asurn, Ontario) is ready to compete in her first collegiate conference title meet in the discus and is ranked second among the league leaders coming in. Classmate Brynn Madonna (Allendale, NJ) is looking to score in both the javelin, ranked fourth, and in the shot put, ranked seventh. And freshman Natalia Surdej (Lancaster, N.Y.) is right behind teammage Rodgers in the hammer, ranked third.
In the heptathlon, junior Emily Lavarnway (Ovid, N.Y.), and freshmen Emily Reid (Middletown, N.J.) and Emma Phelps (Westborough, Mass.) are set to compete. Lavarnway took home the gold in the pentathlon at the BIG EAST Indoor Championship earlier this year.
"Certainly the goal is be on the top and have a better view than everybody else, that is always the goal for any athlete," said Roy. "But what we are asking our athletes is can you deliver what we call a 'championship performance'? On the day, go one centimeter higher or farther or one-hundredth faster than you've ever gone before. You can't be better than your best. In my experience, championship performances will win championships."
Players Mentioned
