Track and field performs at MAC championship

The UT women’s track and field team put up impressive team and individual scores at the MAC championships at Kent State University. 

The team finished with 69 points, putting them squarely at fourth place for the whole tournament. Six personal records were earned by Rockets throughout the tournament.     

Fourth-year Shanice Williams defended her 60-meter title with a personal record of 7.37 seconds. Fourth-year Janelle Noe finished fourth in the 800-meter and third overall in the mile, while fourth-year Petronela Simiuc placed third in the 800-meter. 

“Petronela PR’ed and Janelle came close to her PR. For them both to do that in their fourth race of the weekend is pretty impressive,” said head coach Linh Nguyen. “Athena [Welsh], similarly, ran almost 10,000 meters-worth of races, and for her to run as well as she did in the mile and 3K today, especially a 3K as the last one, that just shows how talented and how strong those women are,” Nguyen said

Third-year pentathlete Atalia Lima finished first in the penthalon with a score of 3542 points. In the individual sections of the penthalon, Lima finished second in the high jump, third in the shot put and second in the long jump.

Lima’s distance of 11.57 meters in the shot put was her personal record in the event.

Lima is now the first penthalon champion in Rockets history. 

Fourth-year Katie Dewey finished sixth in shot put. 

Only Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Akron finished ahead of the Rockets. 

First-Team All-MAC athletes for the Rockets were Lima in the penthalon, third-year Athena Welsh in 5000 meters, and Williams in the 60 meters.

“I just think the women came in and competed hard and we had a really good weekend, the second-highest finish in Toledo history, so I think coming out you got to be pretty happy,” Nguyen said.

The Rockets will look to qualify for nationals, an honor that is set to be announced by the NCAA.

In the meantime, the Rockers will prepare for the outdoor portion of their season beginning March 29 in Raleigh, North Carolina.