NORTHAMPTON, Mass. & NEW LONDON, Conn. – Wellesley College track & field junior Kenya Francis (Atlanta, Ga.) set a program record with a distance of 42.45m in the Hammer Throw  at the Carla Coffey Invitational at Smith College on Friday. Additionally, the Blue had runners at the Silfen Invitational at Connecticut College.

Carla Coffey Invitational

Francis' distance in the Hammer Throw qualified for the New England DIII Championships and placed fifth in a strong field of 26. First year Maya Sharar (Andover, Mass.) (33.11m), junior Dova Koretsky (Pepperell, Mass.) (28.19m), and first years Maggie Berlinger (Ashby, Mass.) (28.16m) and Julia Carmona (Bronx, N.Y.)(19.59m) also competed in the event.

Carmona also competed in the Javelin Throw, taking seventh out of 16 with a distance of 26.96m.

Silfen Invitational

Junior Ella Whinney (Madison, Wis.) championed the 3000m Steeplechase, topping the competition with a winning time of 11:15.33 that currently ranks 20th in Division III this season. Classmate Simone Beauchamp (Aurora, Colo.) finished third in the race with a time of 11:25.09, which ranks 38th in Division III this year. Both Whinney and Beauchamp qualified for the New England DIII Championships with their respective times.

Junior Emily Brydges (Suffield, Conn.) also had a New England DIII Championships qualifying mark, with a personal-best time of 37:36.58 in the 10000m. Brydges' time is No. 38 in Division III as of this writing.

Tomorrow, the Blue will return to the Carla Coffey Invitational, beginning at 11:00 AM.