GREENSBORO, NC – One individual and one relay from the University of Rochester track and field program captured All-America honors with third place finishes on day three of the 2021 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Irwin Belk Track Complex on Saturday.
Graduate student
Jordan Hurlbut capped her UR career in style, finishing with a third place result in the 1500 meters in a time of 4:27.14, breaking the Rochester school record in the event. Hurlbut's time eclipsed the mark of 4:27.31 set by Josefa Benzoni from back in 1987, breaking one of UR's oldest standing school records. Benzoni was a 3-time NCAA champion.
The third-place result will earn Hurlbut All-American honors for the second time in her career, as she was awarded All-American status during the indoor 2020 season in the 3000 meters.
Hurlbut is now the UR 1500m record holder.
UR's other third place finish came from the 4x400 meter relay team of
Michaela Burrell,
Kristin Hardy,
Eileen Bequette and
Susan Bansbach. The quartet battled through the field to finish with a time of 3:48.08, capping a terrific season in which the group set the Rochester school record in the event on three different occasions, including on Thursday during the preliminary heats of the 4x400 meters.
The group will all earn All-America honors as well, with Burrell being named an All-American for the sixth time, but first during the outdoor championships. Bequette and Bansbach each earn their third All-America honor, while Hardy snags her second award.
Rochester's other competitor in the finals on Saturday was sophomore
Scott Sikorski, representing the Yellowjacket men's team. Sikorski finished a strong 10th in the 1500 meter finals, improving two spots from the preliminaries, crossing the finish in 3:50.18. The time is a new personal-best for the sophomore who was making his first appearance at the NCAA Division III Championships.
UR as a team on the women's side scored 12 points with the two third place finishes and wound up in 20th place among a total of 72 teams that scored in the meet.
The finish is the best for a Rochester women's squad since the Yellowjackets finished in 12th place back in 1986, and becomes the third best result for the UR women outdoors in team history.
