BOSTON, Mass. – The Toledo women's track & field team pieced together another stellar performance on Friday night, combining for five personal bests and three new top-10 times in Rocket history at the Boston University-hosted David Hemery Valentine Invitational.
For the second-straight week, junior Lou Trois posted the second-fastest indoor mile in school history. She surpassed her PR by nearly two seconds to record a time of 4:37.47, which was good for 23rd place. Trois still holds second-best indoor mile times by a Rocket. Also competing in the mile was freshman Bailey Ranta, who came within 0.25 of her personal best with a time of 5:09.55.
Sophomore Joy Chirchir and junior Madeline Vining also etched their names into the record book, running the third- and eighth-fastest indoor 5000m races in school history. Chirchir surpassed her 2022 MAC Indoor Championship-winning performance by nearly 15 seconds, recording a career-best time of 16:16.77. Vining also posted the fastest indoor time of her career, crossing the finish line at 16:27.23.
Sophomore Julia Dames posted a time of 17:28.80 in the first indoor 5000m race of her career, placing fifth in the event.
Senior Ava Moran added two new PRs to her resume as the lone Rocket representative in the 200m and 400m. In her first event of the day, she ran a 59.06 time in the 400m to win her heat. In the 200m, Moran recorded a time of 25.52. She holds the fastest Toledo times in both events this season.
Five Rockets, including a trio of freshmen, toed the line for the 3000m event. Sophomore Alex Bauer led the way, posting a time of 9:31.53 in her first 3000m race in a Rocket uniform. Also competing in their first 3000m races were freshmen Karina James (9:32.01), Lianna Surtz (9:35.35), and Jaydon Cirincione (9:38.42). Junior Emily Vining surpassed her season-best time, set at the John Thomas Terrier Classic two weeks ago, by nearly 15 seconds, crossing the finish line at 9:47.95.
Senior Alexia Moehling competed in both the 60m and the 60H. She placed 16th in the open 60m race, winning her heat with a time of 8.02. She then finished 12th in the 60H prelims, recording a time of 8.85, while sophomore Mayson Bates notched a time of 8.99 to finish 18th.
Junior Krystal Clark led the Rockets in the 800m, completing her first race at that distance this season with a time of 2:12.28. Junior Sarah-Rose Sullivan came within 0.56 seconds of her PR to post a time of 2:13.17.
Sophomore Amara Okpalaoka was the lone jumper to compete in Boston, reaching a mark of 11.12m in the triple jump.
The Rockets will travel to three events next Saturday, Feb. 18. The JDL DMR Invitational, hosted by Wake Forest, will begin at 10:00 a.m., the Notre Dame-hosted Alex Wilson Invitational will get underway at 11:00 a.m., and the Silverston Invitational will start at 4:00 p.m. at the University of Michigan.
David Hemery Valentine Invitational
Boston, Mass. | BU Track & Tennis Center
Friday, Feb. 10
Toledo Results
60H Invite Prelims
12. Alexia Moehling – 8.85
18. Mayson Bates – 8.99
60m Open
16. Alexia Moehling – 8.02
200m
72. Ava Moran – 25.52 **PR**
400m
105. Ava Moran – 59.06 **PR**
800m
80. Krystal Clark – 2:12.28
92. Sarah-Rose Sullivan – 2:13.17
Mile
23. Lou Trois – 4:37.47 **PR**
190. Bailey Ranta – 5:09.55
3000m
67. Alex Bauer – 9:31.53
70. Karina James – 9:32.01
78. Lianna Surtz – 9:35.35
86. Jaydon Cirincione – 9:38.42
119. Emily Vining – 9:47.95
5000m – Morning
5. Julia Dames – 17:28.80
5000m – Evening
36. Joy Chirchir – 16:16.77 **PR**
52. Madeline Vining – 16:27.23 **PR**
Triple Jump
17. Amara Okpalaoka – 11.12m
