LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - Freshman Michelle Gaye (Greenlawn, N.Y.) of the Marist women's track & field team finished third in the 5,000-meter run at the 2012 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships on Sunday at Rider University.
Competing in the event for the first time, Gaye's time was 17:33.12 - the second-fastest by a freshman in school history. In the same race, freshman Erin Thompson (Washington Township, N.J.) set a personal best with a time of 18:31.00, and freshman Brianna Freestone (Ballston Spa, N.Y.) set a personal best by 35 seconds with a time of 18:32.90.
Senior Briana Crowe (Bayville, N.J.), competing in her final collegiate race, earned a scoring position by placing eighth in the 800 with a personal-best time of 2:15.94. Crowe is the second-fastest 800 runner in school history. Sophomore Rachael Peterson (Colonie, N.Y.) also set a personal best with a time of 2:27.73.
The 400-meter relay team of sophomore Amanda Luccarelli (Howell, N.J.), senior Brooke Kristensen (Mahwah, N.J.), sophomore Nicole Scicolone (Carle Place, N.Y.) and freshman Danielle Asaro (Pound Ridge, N.Y.) finished third in 51.21 seconds.
The Red Foxes also earned three scoring positions in the 1,500 meters, as freshman Christine Coughlin (Latham, N.Y.), senior Kara Lightowler (Orange, Conn.) and junior Erin O'Reilly (East Patchogue, N.Y.) placed sixth, seventh, and eighth, respectively. It marked the first time in school history the Red Foxes earned three scoring positions in the 1,500. Coughlin, Lightowler, O'Reilly and junior Rebecca Denise (East Patchogue, N.Y.), who placed ninth, all set personal bests. In all, a school-record eight runners broke 4:55 in the 1,500 this season.
All of the freshmen distance runners set personal-best times at the MAAC Championships. In all, 19 personal or season-best times were set at the championships.
As a team, Marist earned 44 points in the meet.
2012 MAAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Day Two - May 6, 2012
Rider University - Lawrenceville, N.J.
Marist women's results
Long jump
Siobhan Pokorney - no height
Triple jump
11-Brooke Kristensen 10.02m
400 relay
3-Marist (Amanda Luccarelli, Brooke Kristensen, Nicole Scicolone, Danielle Asaro), 51.21
1500
6-Christine Coughlin 4:45.77
7-Kara Lightowler 4:48.26
8-Erin O'Reilly 4:51.84
9-Rebecca Denise 4:54.70
16-Elizabeth O'Brien 5:12.18
19-Allyson O'Brien 5:17.19
400
13-Katie McEvoy 1:07.27
100
9-Amanda Luccarelli 13.11
10-Nicole Scicolone 13.34
12-Danielle Asaro 13.66
14-Taylor Mead 14.18
800
8-Briana Crowe 2:15.94
13-Colleen Meenan 2:23.22
17-Rachael Peterson 2:27.73
18-Kimberly Bartlett 2:28.07
21-Laura Lindsley 2:32.59
200
13-Amanda Luccarelli 27.27
17-Taylor Mead 28.67
5000
3-Michelle Gaye 17:33.12
9-Erin Thompson 18:31.00
10-Brianna Freestone 18:32.90
12-Katie Messina 18:44.19
16-Kelley Gould 19:16.58
17-Rachel Lichtenwalner 19:47.67
1600 relay
6-Marist (Amanda Luccarelli, Brooke Kristensen, Nicole Scicolone, Danielle Asaro) 4:11.94
Team scoring
1-Saint Peter's 278, 2-Manhattan 181, 3-Rider 135, 4-Iona 113, 5-Loyola 55.5, 6-Marist 44.
