TRK | Gaels Set Personal Bests at Multiple Meets Across California

Friday, April 14

Long Beach, CA

10:00 AM

Saint Mary's College of California

Beach Invite

TRK | Gaels Set Personal Bests at Multiple Meets Across California

4/15/2023 4:40:00 PM | Men's Track and Field

LONG BEACH, AZUSA, SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The Saint Mary's Track and Field teams were scattered across California on Friday and Saturday as the teams competed in the Beach Invite, Bryan Clay Invite, and Johnny Mathis Invitational.

AT THE BEACH
Action got started in Long Beach with the women's 5k, as numerous Gaels just missed personal best times. Kaylee Barnes was the quickest of the bunch for SMC, claiming 5^th out of 44 runners in a time of 17:42.66.

Emily Field wasn't far behind, as she snagged 9^th in a time of 18:10.44. Sofia Cuevas and Anna Ranieri were next up, as Cuevas crossed the line in 13^th with a time of 18:23.96 and Ranieri right behind her in 15^th in a time of 18:26.21.

Both Barnes and Field's times were their second fastest 5k splits ever as they both just missed setting new personal bests.

On the men's side, Cayden Hein was the fastest Gael, claiming 8^th in a time of 15:10.23, a personal best by three seconds. His teammate Richard McLain was just a few spots behind in 11^th in a time of 5:20.44. Luke Bland also snagged a top-20 finish, claiming 17^th in a time of 15:32.63.

Troy Coulston and Angel Castro finished 22^nd and 24^th respectively, as Coulston came home in a 15:37.71, and Castro in a 15:42.29.

Aidan Donovan wasn't far behind the SMC duo, as he claimed 27^th in a 15:49.62. Jackson Seubert rounded out the SMC field, finishing 35^th in a time of 16:05.28.

Next up was the 800m, and of the nine competitors in the field, seven were Gaels. None were quicker than Penelopea Gordon, who smashed her previous personal best by four seconds to run a 2:13.26. Not only did she win the event, but her time ranks fourth fastest all-time in the SMC record books.

Jaden DeSouza, who came home 4^th, also set a personal best, as she came home in a time of 2:17.24, a full second faster than her previous best.

Klara Frih came home in 5^th with a time of 2:18.14. Maddie Fletcher was 6^th in a 2:25.27. Lotte Van Schaik was 7^th in a 2:31.13. Jiana Cortero was 8^th in a 2:32.82. Kailtin Laner rounded out the 800m field in 9^th in a 2:41.81.

In the men's 1500m, Blaine Reynolds led the way for SMC, as he finished 3^rd in a 53-man field with a time of 3:55.47.

Reinder Prince was just a few spots behind, snatching 7^th in a time of 3:59.25, a personal best by half a second.

Eric Martinez also set a personal best, as he finished 13^th in time of 4:00.32, a three second improvement. His teammate Jason Habash was right behind in 14^th, as he too smashed her personal best by four seconds with a 4:00.70.

Payton Fox was 18^th for the Gaels as he crossed the line in a time of 4:02.60. Thomas Osborne was only a few spots behind in 21^st with a 4:04.65. Noah Pagaran brought it home for SMC, as he finished 28^th in time of 4:06.44.

AT THE BRYAN CLAY
Two Gaels were in action at Azusa Pacific as Molly Dreher and Dani Rowlinson competed in the 5k.

Molly Dreher was first up as she featured in a third heat of the women's 5k. In a heat of 32 runners, Dreher snatched 16^th in a time of 16:55.17, just missing her personal best by two seconds.

In the fourth heat, Dani Rowlinson finished 22^nd with a time of 17:05.86.

Rayna Stanziano's 16:22, Rowlinson's 16:51, and Dreher's 16:55 in the event marks the first time in Gaels history that SMC has three women under the 17-minute mark in the 5k.

SHORT EVENTS IN THE CITY
At the Johnny Mathis Invitational in San Francisco, just two Gaels made the trip.

Piper Kunesh was the lone Gael in the 400m, as she finished 20^th out of 21 runners in a time of 1:08.39.

In the 200m, Kunesh and her teammate McKenna Burrows competed in the discipline. Burrows finished 30^th in a time of 29.32, while Kunesh finished 33^rd in a time of 30.38.

NEXT UP
SMC are back on the track in two weeks as the Gaels will send a relay to Philadelphia for the Penn Relays on April 28-29, while the rest of the team heads to Fresno for the Fresno State Invite on April 29.

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