AZUSA, Calif. -
Riley Capuano ran the second best 1500-meter time in Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's track and field history on Saturday night at the Bryan Clay Invitational at Azusa Pacific.
Capuano ran a 4:25.67, which places No. 4 in Division III so far this season, and No. 2 all-time in program history, behind only the 4:25.36 ran by former teammate Laura Zimmer in 2024. Capuano, who studied abroad last spring, finished second in the 1500 at the NCAA Division III Championships as a sophomore, and is a three-time All-American in cross country, helping the Athenas to a third-place finish at nationals this year.
In addition,
Sadie Drucker, who was also an All-American in cross country this spring, ran a 4:35.33 to move into tenth place. The 1500 meters on Saturday night capped off a busy week for the Athenas at multiple meets in their final tune-ups before the SCIAC Championships on May 2-3. On Thursday,
Elle Marsyla of the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's track and field team broke the program record in the 10000 meters with a 33:51.05 at the Bryan Clay Invitational on Thursday, the top time in Division III so far this season and the No. 10 time in NCAA Division III history.
Marsyla took almost a minute off her previous best time of 34:42.72 at the Mangrum Invitational at CSU San Marcos on March 27. She also broke the 5000-meter record at CMS earlier this spring with a 16:33.31 at the Occidental Distance Carnival, after earning a top-10 finish (seventh) in the NCAA Division III Cross Country championships in the fall.
In addition to Marsyla's performance,
Olivia Backholm moved into fourth at CMS in the steeplechase at the Bryan Clay Invitational with a 10:53.47. At the Leopard Invitational at La Verne,
Madeline Seifert improved her PR in the pole vault, which ranks No. 3 all-time at CMS, with a 12'5.5" (3.80 meters) clearance, while
Malia Ortiz moved into a tie for tenth at 10'11.75".
Josephine Jett was in action at the Mt. SAC Relays, where she ran a 14.11 in the 100-meter hurdles, and an 11.93 in the 100-yard dash as she looks to return back to the NCAA Championships.
Sophia Laudi threw 133'4" in the javelin at Mt. SAC as well in her pursuit of her return visit to nationals.
Shriya Velichala (1:04.39) and
Kaitlyn Creighton (1:04.54) had strong times in the 400-meter hurdles at the Leopard Invitational.
Currently, CMS has several athletes in contention to qualify for nationals, led by Marsyla's No. 1 ranking in the 10000 and Capuano's No. 4 ranking in the 1500. In addition, Laudi is currently fourth in the javelin, Jett ranks fifth in the 100-meter hurdles and 14th in the 100-meter dash, Seifert moved up to No. 13 in the pole vault, Backholm is now 17th in the steeplecahse,
Hope Dragseth is 19th in the 5000, and
Emily Kendrick is 23rd in the steeplechase.
For a complete list of results from the meets CMS competed at this week, go to the following links:
Leopard Invitational
Mt. SAC Relays
Bryan Clay Invitational
