Larson-Koester Lifts Track and Field to Sixth Place at NEWMAC Championships

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 24, 2010) – For the second year in a row, the MIT women’s outdoor track and field team captured the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship. It was the Engineers third league title overall. They also took home top honors in 2007.

A total of eight teams took part in the competition, which took place today at Springfield College. Following MIT (197.5) in the final standings were Springfield (167), WPI (129), Smith College (100.5), Wheaton College (85), Mount Holyoke College (39), the Coast Guard Academy (25) and Babson College (25).

Mount Holyoke was paced by Miriam Larson-Koester, who established personal records in all three of her events. The sophomore earned NEWMAC First Team All-Conference honors with her first place finish in the discus. Her toss of 39.59 meters was a school record and made her eligible for the New England Championships. She had previously qualified for both the NCAA Division III New England Regional Championships and the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships in the event. Larson-Koester also grabbed fourth place in the shot put with her throw of 11.97 meters. She recorded a sixth place showing in the hammer throw with her toss of 39.90 meters. The captain totaled 18 points on the day.

With their performances today, four Lyons qualified for next weekend’s Regional Championships. Junior Bree Hollinger made herself eligible with a fourth place height of 1.50 meters in the high jump. Meanwhile, senior Kat Newman (400-meter dash), first year Maddie Ballon (pole vault) and sophomore Alicia Forrest (shot put) also qualified in their respective events.

Hollinger teamed with classmate Jacinta Edebeli (Nigeria/Loyola Jesuit), sophomore Courtney Carrier and senior Temitope Ojo to post a fifth place time of 53.00 in the 4x100-meter relay.

Carrier and Newman later combined with sophomore Holly Valenzuela and first year Whitney Bailey to post a fourth place time of 4:17.59 in the 4x400-meter relay.

First year Elizabeth MacLauchlan secured sixth place in the 5,000-meter run with her time of 19:52.53 to round things out for the Lyons.

The NCAA Division III New England Regional Championships are slated to take place next Friday and Saturday at Tufts University. In addition to Larson-Koester, Hollinger, Newman, Ballon and Forrest, Mount Holyoke will be represented by Edebeli. She has previously qualified in the 100-meter dash. Both of the Lyons relay teams will take part in the competition, as well.

Final Women's Standings
1. MIT (197.5)
2. Springfield College (167)
3. WPI (129)
4. Smith College (100.5)
5. Wheaton College (85)
6. Mount Holyoke College (39)
7. Babson College (25)
7. Coast Guard Academy (25)