Sophomore standout Juli Accurso stole the 3,000-meter race and broke an Ohio and Mid-American Conference record in the Meyo Invitational at Notre Dame this weekend.
Accurso finished the 3k in 9 minutes, 21.89 seconds to shatter the school record set by former Bobcat Annie Beecham.
The sophomore from Casstown, Ohio, is used to running the mile at track meets, but the 3k is almost twice as long. She had not run that race since last year and admitted she was nervous going into it.
“I just wanted to run a smart race and finish strong,” Accurso said. “I’m pleased, not necessarily with breaking a record, but with my individual performance. I was happy with how I raced and how I felt during it.”
After a six-hour car ride and two-day event against some of the top competition in the nation, many other Bobcats took personal best marks in their respective events.
Allison Stillwell improved upon her career best in the 5k by 13 seconds. Melissa Thompson ran a season-best mile and took sixth in the open race. Emily Pifer ran a season-best 3k while teammate Ashley Waddington ran a career best by almost a full eight seconds in the same event.
In the 800 meters, Brittany Tyree accomplished a personal best and trimmed almost three seconds off her previous best time. Hope McCarty also set a personal record in the same event. The 4x4 relay team finished a season-best run with runners Kiley Mathews, McCarty, Courtney Weiss and Delaney Bolger turning in a time a half-second better than any other during the indoor track season.
With a toss of 16.13 meters, Kristen Mason threw a personal best in the weight and placed in the top 20. Alexis Geiger had a season-best long jump, and Janiece Rose threw 12.72 meters in the shot put, which tied her personal best.
“The competition level there is well above the MAC level of competition,” coach Clay Calkins said. “You have some of the best competition in the country and our athletes stepped up to the challenge.”
Calkins also said that the Meyo Invitational sets the stage to apply new marks and to use them as points of reference for the next meet, which is the Hoosier Hills in Bloomington, Ind.
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