PITTSFORD, NY – The 16th-ranked University of Rochester women's track and field team piled up a number of top results in its final regular season meet of the indoor season, competing at the Nazareth Conference Tune-Up on Friday evening at the Golisano Training Center.
 
The Yellowjackets earned five event wins on the night, had nine All-Atlantic Regional performances and overall posted nine top-3 results.
 
Juniors Madeline O'Connell and Susan Bansbach were each double-winners on the night. The other event win came from sophomore Ashley Heffernan in the 60 meter hurdles.
 
O'Connell won the pole vault with a height of 3.51 meters and finished first in the 400 meters, clocking in with a time of 59.30 seconds. Both were AARTFC qualifying performances and are currently ranked in the top-50 in NCAA Division III this season.
 
Bansbach won the 60 meters and 200 meters, keeping her strong junior season going. In the 60 meters, she posted a time of 8.04 seconds, a regional qualifier. In the 200 distance, she blazed to a time of 25.78 seconds, another regional qualifier and time which is inside the top-25 on the Division III performance list.
 
Joining Bansbach in the top-8 was first-year Annabelle Shanks who claimed third place with a time of 8.11 seconds. In the prelims Shanks posted a time of 8.07 seconds, good enough to qualify for the AARTFC meet.
 
Heffernan's win in the 60 meter hurdles came with a time of 9.23 seconds. In the prelims she set a new personal best of 9.22 seconds, qualifying for regionals. Additionally, Heffernan was runner-up in the pole vault to O'Connell, also clearing the winning height of 3.51 meters, but completed the jump sequence with a couple extra misses.
 
Other regional qualifiers from the night included Kristin Hardy in the 200 meters, Gillian Reeder in the weight throw. Both competitors finished in fifth place, with Hardy running a time of 26.55 seconds and Reeder earning a distance of 14.96 meters. Hardy also ended eighth in the 60 meters (8.26 seconds).
 
A couple of nice performances in the distance events highlighted UR's night as well. Kat Benninger was runner-up in the 1000 meters (3:26.05), Carissa Minarovich placed third in the 800 meters (2:27.13) and Ella Wise Bellin was fifth in the 3000 meters (10:57.17). Both Minarovich and Wise Bellin's times were career-bests.
 
Adding to the top-8 haul of finishes included Eileen Bequette in the 60 meter hurdles (5th, 9.75 seconds), Kate Isaac in the 400 meters (7th, 1:01.97), Zoe Fortin in the long jump (7th, 5.11 meters) and Sennett Turner in the mile (8th, 5:33.91).
 
The Yellowjackets now shift their attention to preparing for the Liberty League Championships next weekend at Ithaca College. The meet runs on February 25 and 26.