COLLEGEVILLE, PA – After finishing as team runner-up for three straight seasons, the University of Rochester women's track and field team finally was able to team claim its first-ever All-Atlantic Region Track and Field Championship title on Thursday afternoon at Ursinus College.
 
After holding the day one lead, the Yellowjackets more than doubled their point total on day two, pushing their team score to 70 points over the 22 completed events.
 
URochester's total was good for first place, winning the title by 24 points over runner-up SUNY Delhi. Liberty League rival Ithaca was third with 40 points, followed by King's with 39 points and SUNY Geneseo who ended with 33, rounding out the top five. Overall, 46 teams scored at least one point in the meet.
 
The team victory comes after the Yellowjackets were edged out in the standings last year, finishing second of 41 teams at the same meet in 2025 at Williams College. That runner-up finish was UR's third straight second place result at the regional competition, which started back in the 2017-18 season.
 
On Thursday, the Yellowjackets scored points in six events, claiming four top-3 results including a win during the 400 meter hurdles by junior Nora Chen.
 
Chen actually scored 16 points by herself on day two, earning a third place finish in the 100 meter hurdles as well. During the 400 meter distance, Chen finished in 1:00.81 for the race, while during the shorter sprint hurdle race, Chen finished in 14.65 seconds.
 
Junior Aimee Oszer also was a multiple-event scorer for Rochester on Thursday, also setting a school record to highlight her afternoon. Oszer finished third in the shot put and broke her own school record in the process, posting a 13.77 meter mark. That distance moves Oszer up to #13 on the Division III performance list heading into NCAA meet selections later this weekend.
 
Additionally, Oszer finished sixth in the discus with a toss of 43.63 meters, while teammate Madison Vargas ended in third place in the same event, posting a best throw of 43.96 meters.
 
During the 800 meters, the Yellowjackets saw junior Eva Ciuffetelli earn a spot on the podium, ranking fifth in the field after running a time of 2:12.42. Rita Sciortino was 14th in 2:17.16.
 
The final event on the track was the 4x800 meter relay and URochester also scored points there, claiming fourth place in 9:38.17. The relay group was made up of Sciortino, Sam Mermelstein, Molly FitzGibbons and Riley Joseph.
 
In the 400 meters, junior Raquella Casserino just missed the podium for UR, ending ninth overall in 57.60 seconds. Others competing on day two included Joseph in the 1500 meters (14th), Lizzie Merrill in the 200 meters (29th), Emily Dill in the 800 meters (42nd) and Grace McInerney in the heptathlon.
 
Up next, qualifying individuals will head to LaCrosse, Wisconsin next week for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Those qualifiers will be announced this weekend, with the meet taking place May 21-23.