PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Rochester's women produced eight All-Atlantic Region qualifying performances for indoor track & field on Saturday afternoon. This is the Nazareth College Conference Challenge Cup featuring 11 of the best small college track & field programs.
 
With one event to go – the pentathlon on Sunday morning, Rochester sits in fourth place of 11. The Yellowjackets have accumulated 57 points. Williams College has 130 points, Ithaca College 116, and SUNY Geneseo 115.  
 
The Yellowjackets had two All-AARC qualifiers in the pole vault and the 400 meter run. They had one qualifier in the 5,000 meter run and another in the 3,000 meter run. The 4x400 meter relay qualified. The eighth qualifier came in the triple jump.
 
Susan Bansbach finished second in the 400 meters (:57.57) and Kristin Hardy was fourth (:59.10) to both seal places for the Atlantic Regional meet. They ran the first two legs of the 4x200 meter relay which was clocked in 1:46.45. Hardy led off, followed by Bansbach, Annabelle Shanks, and Madeline O'Connell. Rochester's 4x400 meter relay was second overall (4:01.17). Hardy ran the first leg, followed by Megan Bell, Eileen Bequette, and Bansbach. Bell ran a 2:24.03  to finish seventh in the 800 meters.
 
The distance qualifiers were Rachel Dennis in the 5,000 (18:46.81) and Grace Iltis in the 3,000 (10:38.30). In the sprints, Ashley Heffernan ran a trial time of :09.42 to qualify for the finals of the 60 meter hurdles. She finished seventh in the finals (:10.13).
 
Among the field event performers, Grace Mueller was eighth in the shot put (10.67 m. – 35' 0,25"). Gillian Reeder was fourth in the weight throw with a qualifying distance of 14.58 m. (47'10"). Alyssa Hoogs qualified in the triple jump, clearing 10.90 m. (35' 9.25"). She was fourth individually.
 
O'Connell and Heffernan qualified in the pole vault. O'Connell cleared 3.50 m. (11' 5.75") to place fourth. Heffernan was tied for seventh place (3.35 m., 10' 11.75").