BOSTON, Mass. – After last week's success at the Battle of Beantown, the UMass Lowell track and field team returned to Boston as they took on the John Thomas Terrier Classic hosted by Boston University Friday afternoon.

"The women were outstanding today," said Head Coach Gary Gardner following the meet.

Graduate student Jenna Solimine (Haverhill, Mass.) led the way for the River Hawks with a career-best 16:41.32 in the 5000-meter event to secure a fourth-place finish. With her time, Solimine set a new school record in the distance event, overtaking her sister and former River Hawk Jaclyn Solimine's 16:50.02 mark in the event set back in 2017. 

"Jenna broke her sister's school record in the 5000-meter, and it was also a 37-second personal best. It is the best race she has ever run," exclaimed Gardner.

In the women's 800-meter, the River Hawks had a pair of top-eight finishes. Senior IzzyGiesing (Bradford, Vt.) crossed the line first for UMass Lowell, taking home fifth off a 2:05.57 time. Giesing's time topped her own school record in the event and marked the fifth-fastest time in the NCAA in the event. Not far behind, junior Avery Leydon (Woburn, Mass.) clocked in at 2:08.88 to take eighth overall and register a new career-best time. 

The sole competitor for the River Hawks in the mile, graduate student Kaley Richards (Lowell, Mass.) finished seventh in with a time of 4:36.90. The veteran distance runner not only set a new personal best mark with her finishing time, but also ran the sixth-fastest time in the NCAA so far this year in the event. 

"Izzy broke her own school record with what is now the fifth-fastest time in the NCAA. Kaley also ran the sixth-fastest time in the NCAA this year in the mile."

Lastly, in the women's long jump, sophomore Rebecca Crosier (Shaftsbury, Vt.) was able to hit a mark of 17'3.5" to snag eighth in the event and overtake her previous career-best leap. 

Next up, the men take their shot at the John Thomas Terrier Classic this Sunday, January 28.