LYNCHBURG, VA – The University of Rochester women's track and field team opened up the 2022 outdoor track and field season with a tremendous effort at the University of Lynchburg Dr. Jack Toms Invitational on Saturday.
 
Rochester's women picked up a total of four event wins, 12 All-Atlantic Regional meet qualifying performances and have several top-50 marks on the NCAA performance list in the early going of the outdoor season.
 
The Yellowjackets got things started quickly with a win in the 4x100 meter relay to open their day. The team of Kate Isaac, Susan Bansbach, Ashley Heffernan and Madeline O'Connell each ran a leg of the 48.84 second finishing time. That result is the third best in school history and is a top-10 Division III time so far this season.
 
O'Connell finished as a double-winner for Rochester, as she finished off her day with a win in the pole vault, clearing 3.65 meters, another regional qualifier and current top-10 mark in Division III.
 
Other event winners were Kristin Hardy in the 400 meters and Alyssa Hoogs in the triple jump. Hardy clocked in with a time of 59.75 seconds, qualifying for regionals, while Hoogs earned a distance of 10.91 meters in her win, also a regional performance. Teammate Zoe Fortin finished second to Hoogs in the triple jump with a distance of 10.76 meters.
 
Additionally, UR had runner-up finishes from Bansbach in the 200 meters, Gillian Reeder in the hammer throw and Rachel Dennis in the 5000 meters. All were regional qualifiers and top-20 NCAA marks.
 
Bansbach clocked in at 25.20 seconds in the 200 meters and also ran in the 100 meters, posting a best time of 12.58 seconds, second fastest among runners in the prelims. Reeder's toss in the hammer was 44.93 meters, while Dennis clocked in with a time of 18:07.56 in her runner-up performance.
 
Hoogs finished as a double-regional qualifier with her fourth place result in the long jump, posting a distance of 5.33 meters. Rochester's other regional qualifiers were Ashley Heffernan in the pole vault (4th, 3.35 meters), O'Connell in the 200 meters (4th, 25.55 seconds) and Kat Benninger in the 5000 meters (4th, 18:43.99).
 
Additional top-8 results earned by Rochester were Reeder in the discus (5th, 34.97m), Sabrina Terando in the 5000 meters (7th, 19:36.05) and Cora Rose in the discus (8th, 33.12 meters).
 
The Yellowjackets are next scheduled to take to the track at the SUNY Geneseo Early Season Invite next Saturday.