BOSTON, Mass. – A group of runners from the UMass Lowell women's track and field team traveled to Boston University Friday afternoon to compete in the John Thomas Terrier Classic at the BU Track and Tennis Center. 

"Today we had some really great performances and some solid ones," said Head Coach Gary Gardner. "Overall there wasn't really any poor performances."

Four River Hawks kicked it off in the 800m run, as junior Nia Mainer-Smith (Taunton, Mass.) led the way in 42nd place out of 149 runners, beating her personal best by seven seconds, with a time of 2:11.83, followed by graduate student Rachel Thomas (Perry Hall, Md.) in 54th with a 2:15.74 mark. Sophomore Emily Burdick (Billerica, Mass.) finished next in 75th place with a time of 2:19.31, a new personal best, with junior Raihana Yameogo (Dillsburg, Pa.) right behind her in 77th with a 2:20.40 mark. 

"Nia was absolutely outstanding with a seven second personal best in the 800 meter run," mentioned Gardner. "She's had a breakout season, and that certainly continued today."

The 1,000m run was next, and it was freshman Brenna Corcoran (Haverhill, Mass.) that was the first River Hawk to cross the finish line in 42nd place with a time of 3:03.55. Classmates Isabel McIntyre (Dover, N.H.) (3:11.96) and Alyssa Fiorino (Billerica, Mass.) (3:19.22) also competed, claiming 54th and 61st place, respectively.

Freshman Lauren Long (Lunenburg, Mass.) had taken the lead for the River Hawks in the one-mile run, clocking in at a time of 5:19.69 for 140th place. Next was senior Delaney Swanson (Swanzey, N.H.) finishing at a time of 5:30.60 in 174th. Also running in the one-mile were senior Vivian Mac (Randolph, Mass.) and freshman Selena Wood (Abington, Mass.). 

Following the one-mile run, senior Sarah Ross (Agawam, Mass.) fronted the 3,000m run for UMass Lowell, finishing past the line at a time of 10:10.51, taking 114th place. Right behind, graduate student Mary Yount (Northampton, Mass.) (123rd, 10:15.79), junior Kylie Marion (Baldwinville, Mass.) (134th, 10:24.39), and freshman Georgia Brooks (Groton, Mass.) (141th, 10:28.14).

In the last event of the day, junior Mary-Kate Finn (Nashua, N.H.) ran unattached in the 5,000m run, crossing the line at a mark of 16:31.09 for 28th place. Junior Miana Caraballo (Methuen, Mass.) was next to cross, posting a time of 17:39.69, taking 46th place. Two other River Hawks in junior Mia Jones (Blacksburg, Va.) and sophomore Emma Eagan (Danvers, Mass.) finished the run, with Jones claiming 74th place and a new personal best at 18:36.32, and Eagan in 77th at a time of 18:54.77.

The River Hawk women's track and field team is back at it tomorrow, Saturday, February 1, when they travel to Storrs, Conn. to take on the Coach Greg Roy-al Rumble at the Hugh S. Greer Field House.