HICKORY, NC - The Lenoir-Rhyne Women's Track & Field team finished runner-up in this years SAC Championships, with Alexis Brown being named the Track Athlete of the Meet.

Brown continued to shine, winning the 100m, 200m, and anchoring the Bears to victory in the 4x100m. That relay team, which consisted of Brown, Zanetta Udo-Obong, Damyja Ortiz, and Molly McGrath, looked to have booked their trip to nationals with a new #5 time in DII of 44.73. 

Finishing first place in the 400m with a new lifetime best was Damyja Ortiz, who won the title in a blazing time of 53.31, putting her at eighth in Division II this year. Finishing just behind her and also setting a new personal best was Jani Day, who ran a time of 54.67 to garner runner-up honors. Ortiz was everywhere this meet, as she also finished third in the 200m dash. Her prelim time of 23.67 makes her the 23rd fastest 200m runner in DII this year. 

Ortiz added one more win to her resume, anchoring the 4x400m team to victory. Consisting of Jani Day, Mathilde Etienne, Kimberley Owens, and Ortiz, the quartet won the event with a time of 3:44.54, their second fastest time this season. The Bears picked up some big points from the Heptathlon, as Miranda Marr (2nd), Mathilde Etienne (4th), and Patricija Nemanyte (8th) combined for 14 big points. Marr (5067) and Etienne's (4657) totals put them at 14th and 34th in the country. Finishing with a bronze medal in the 3000m Steeplechase was Elizabeth Kessler, who ran a big PR of 11:12.90 to break up what would have been a 1-2-3 finish for Wingate. 

Top-Eight Finishers

• 100m Dash
  • Alexis Brown - 1st, 11.18
  • Zanetta Udo-Obong - 5th, 11.88
• 200m Dash
  • Alexis Brown - 1st, 23.28
  • Damyja Ortiz - 4th, 24.49
  • Zanetta Udo-Obong - 7th, 25.01
• 400 Meters
  • Damyja Ortiz - 1st, 53.31
  • Jani Day - 2nd, 54.67
• 800 Meters
  • Olivia Overholt - 7th, 2:15.71
• 1500 Meters
  • Maria Carmona Orejon - 8th, 4:42.30
• 3000m Steeplechase
  • Elizabeth Kessler - 3rd, 11:12.90
• 4x100m Relay
  • Zanetta Udo-Obong, Damyja Ortiz, Molly McGrath, Alexis Brown - 1st, 44.73
• 4x400m Relay
  • Jani Day, Mathilde Etienne, Kimberley Owens, Damyja Ortiz - 1st, 3:44.54
• High Jump
  • Miranda Marr - 8th, 1.60m (5-3.00)
• Pole vault
  • Harper Ramsdale - 5th, 3.00m (9-10.00)
  • Caitlyn Lensch - 5th, 3.00m (9-10.00)
• Long Jump
  • Kimberley Owens - 8th, 5.54m (18-2.25)
• Triple Jump
  • Holly Kone - 4th, 11.93m (39-1.75)
  • Sofia Ulanday - 6th, 11.51m (37-9.25)
• Hammer Throw
  • Savannah Nippa - 8th, 40.26m (132-1.00)
• Javelin Throw
  • Savannah Nippa - 7th, 30.52m (100-1.00)
  • Julia Karnilowicz - 8th, 30.23m (99-2.00)
• Heptathlon
  • Miranda Marr - 2nd, 5067
  • Mathilde Etienne - 4th, 4657
  • Patricija Nemanyte - 6th, 3617

Women's Final Standings

1. Wingate 249

2. Lenoir-Rhyne 113

3. Tusculum 82

4. Catawba 79

5. Anderson 73

6. Lincoln Memorial 71

7. Newberry 37

8. Carson-Newman 33

9. Limestone 24

10. UVA Wise 21

11. Mars Hill 20

12. Coker 12

13. Emory & Henry 4