Track & Field Opens Outdoor Season at Stanford, Bryant
4/1/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Brown men's and women's track and field programs put together multiple impressive performances to open the outdoor season at the Stanford Invitational and the Bryant Black and Gold Invitational over the weekend.
Stanford Invitational
Senior Megan Ratcliffe (Carlisle, Mass.) was third overall in the section 2 of the 10,000 meters, crossing the finish line in a time of 33:49.57 for second all-time at Brown. Ratcliffe used a big push in the final 400 meters of the race to move up from seventh to third place and set a personal best time by over a minute. Her time trails only Olivia Mickle '13, who set the program's top mark of 33:29.85 in 2013.
Junior Carleen Jeffers (Ridgewood, N.J.) was eighth overall in the same section of the 10,000 meters, finishing in a time of 33:54.92 for third all-time in program history to beat her previous personal best by over two minutes, as both runners completed the event in NCAA Regional qualifying times.
"Megan and Carleen were both very poised and ran tactically very strong races," said Tim Springfield, Director of Track & Field. "Megan took over the chase pack the last 2000m and had a big last lap. Very exciting indication of what they can accomplish this season."
On the men's side, senior Martin Martinez (Waukegan, Ill.) was 16th in the 5,000-meter invitational as he crossed in a time of 14:08.95, his first time running the event, with a time that was good for 10th all-time in program history.
"Martin ran very tough in the Invitational section and probably got pulled out a little too fast for his first time in the event," said Springfield. "It was a difficult way to run his first 5000m, but I was proud of the poise and toughness he showed."
Bryant Invitational
Owen Russell (Attleboro, Mass.) highlighted the meet for the men's side, as he broke his own school record in the hammer throw by three meters with a toss of 220-6, giving him sixth all-time in the Ivy League record book.
Bretram Rogers (Grand Prairie, Texas) captured the 110-meter hurdles in a winning time of 14.46, eighth all-time at Brown. Rookie Noah Ward (North Hampton, N.H.) won the discus with a mark of 165-1 for tenth all-time in program history. Brown also earned individual victories from Ryan Laudermilk in the high jump (6-5.5) and Jason Katz in the long jump (22-11.75).
The women's team picked up individual wins from Hannah Barakat in the 200 meters (25.30), May Stern in the 400 meters (55.82), Carly Paul in the high jump (5-7), Ijeoma Uche in the long jump (18-10), Mollie Redman in the triple jump (37-1.25) and Josie Natrasevschi in the discus (165-11).
Brown will compete at the Sam Howell Invitational next weekend in Princeton, New Jersey.
