WILLIAMSBURG, VA – The University of Rochester women's track & field program saw an 11-year-old record fall and notched four top times on the NCAA Division III Outdoor Qualifying List on their first day of competition at William & Mary's Colonial Relays inside Zable Stadium.
 
Nora Chen broke Cameron Edwards' 400-meter hurdles record, set back in 2014, with a fourth-place finish and 1:01.53 time in the 400 hurdles. Chen broke Edwards' record by .31 seconds, setting both a school record and new personal-best with the fourth-fastest 400-meter hurdle time in NCAA Division III so far this season.
 
Chen also hit the All-Atlantic Region Outdoor Track & Field Championships (AARTFC) standard with her time, as did Eva Ciuffetelli, who finished seventh out of 36 runners, the majority coming from NCAA Division I schools, with a time of 1:02.31, good for fifth on the NCAA DIII Outdoor Qualifying List.
 
Megan Bell set the top mark in NCAA Division III in the 400 meters, taking second with a time of 55.47 seconds, a new personal-best time and an AARTFC qualifier. Bell finished second in the 44-woman field to notch Division III's best 400-meter time to date, while Raquella Casserino placed 19th (59.50).
 
The Yellowjackets would add one more top-50 mark in the javelin, where Aimee Oszer's 36.30m toss was good for 10th, an AARTFC qualifier and the 47th-best throw in DIII so far this season.
 
Elsewhere in the field events, Cora Rose led a trio of Yellowjackets in the top 20 of the hammer throw, placing 11th with a 44.16m throw, while Liv Ilasz finished 15th (41.70m) and Zoe Chafouleas came in 18th (39.60m).
 
In the long jump, Ashleigh Barrett had UR's high mark with a 5.28m leap, good for 12th, while Grace McInerney (22nd, 4.90m) and Raelen Green (24th, 4.83m) also earned top-25 finishes.
 
Emily Dill got Rochester's day started on the track in the 800 meters, setting a new personal-best time and notching a regional-qualifier with a 13th-place finish and time of 2:19.82. Rita Sciortino joined Dill in the top 25, crossing the finish line in 2:22.29, good for 21st.
 
Tina Kyriacou was Rochester's top finisher in the 100 meters, finishing 45th (13.16), while Lizzie Merrill led the 'Jackets in the 200 meters, clocking in with a new personal-best time of 26.82 seconds, good for 47th.
 
Sab Lin added another regional tally for UR in the 1,500 meters, leading a trio of 'Jackets in the top 30 with a 15th-place finish and 4:49.684 time. Ellie Ponko finished in 4:52.94 to place 20th, while Maria Khalifeh earned a 28th-place result with a season-best 4:56.07 time.
 
The 'Jackets would add one more AARTFC qualifier, for a total of seven on day one, with Ella Blau's PR in the 5,000 meters, a 31st-place result and a time of 18:29.08, while Riley Joseph placed 39th (19:18.74.)
 
Through 11 events, the Yellowjackets are tied for eighth in the team scoring with 15 points, with host William & Mary atop the standings with 69.5 points.
 
Rochester will be back on the track for the final day of the Colonial Relays beginning on Saturday, April 5, at 10:00 a.m. inside Zable Stadium in Williamsburg, VA.