Full Results

By Taylor Throckmorton '12

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Allegheny women's track and field team posted no less than 10 top-three finishes in their season debut at Case Western Reserve University's Holiday Classic.

The tone was set by a strong weight throw contingent in the day's opening event.  The Gators placed two in the top three collegiate finishers as senior Lexie Mochan and sophomore Aubri Caslin finished second and third, respectively, with tosses of 15.07 and 14.09 meters.  Joining them in the top-eight was sophomore Chelsea Greene with a toss of 13.24.  Greene, the NCAC's top freshman performer in the event last year, qualified to finals along with her teammates amidst a deep field of Division II and III throwers.

Caslin added another top-three finish as she and fellow classmate Sara Von Dolln shared the victory in the shot put as each tossed an identical 38'1.25".  The throw was a lifetime best for Caslin and nearly three feet further than what Von Dolln threw at the same meet last year.  Joining them in finals were teammates Sasha Moskowitz and Taylor Davis who finished in sixth and ninth, respectively.  With four women in the top nine, the Gators were by far the highest scoring team in the event. 

"Our female throws group looks to be very dominant in the 2015 campaign," announced head coach Brent Wilkerson.  "It definitely appears that the underclassmen have taken advantage of Coach Throckmorton's training methods and high inter-squad competition.  The throws women will be a big part of our push to finish in the top 2 at our conference championship."

Building off the momentum established by the throwing crew, the running events got underway in style with Natalie Corrado breaking a 14-year old school record in the 55 hurdles in her first race wearing the Blue and Gold.  The record of 8.86, set by Carolyn Sikora in 2001, fell as Corrado blazed an 8.83 in prelims, making her the second place seed heading into finals.  Joining her in finals would be teammate Amanda Balzer, whose time of 9.27 was good for the third seed.  However, both would improve in finals as Balzer ended up second in 9.16 and Corrado improved upon her own school record by closing in 8.80, earning her the win.

Both women doubled back in the 200 where Balzer set a new lifetime best of 28.65, taking sixth place and Corrado posted a time of 26.94, good for third. 
 
"Natalie's performance today doesn't come as a total shock," stated Wilkerson.  "She has been training well all fall and even with a short preparation time for the hurdles, it seems that Coach Hill and she have figured out a good formula for strong performances on the weekend."

One of the most welcome sights of the day was seeing senior captain Ashley Krause back on the runway after missing her entire junior season due to injury.  Krause wasted no time in getting back to form as she leaped 33'6.5" to take second in the triple jump.  The performance showed that the time off did nothing to dull her competitive nature and she will be looking for big marks in meets later this season.

Adding two more top-three finishes were first year Melissa McCann and sophomore Laura Cooper who cruised to first and third, respectively, in the 800. 
All in all, the Gators had women competing in eight events, and put at least one finisher in the top three in six of those competitions.

The Gators now take time away from the track over the holidays before resuming their season on January 24th at the College of Wooster.