DURHAM, N.H. – The UMass Lowell women's track and field team competed in day one of the 2025 America East Outdoor Championship on Saturday, putting together some amazing performances despite rainy conditions and two delays. The squad got through a majority of the events before the remainder were postponed due to the conditions.  

"The team did a good job staying focused throughout all the starts and stops today," said Head Coach Gary Gardner. "It was hard to get momentum."

The 10,000m race kicked things off in the morning, and senior Sarah Ross (Agawam, Mass.) led the squad with a sixth-place finish and 37:06.27 mark to earn three points for the team. Junior Miana Caraballo (Methuen, Mass.) (38:22.23), sophomore Emma Eagan (Danvers, Mass.) (38:33.61) and graduate student Mia Jones (Blacksburg, Va.) (39:18.94) all finished consecutively in 10^th-12^th place, respectively to round out the River Hawk runners.

Next was the 1,500m prelim, and junior Kylie Marion (Baldwinville, Mass.) led the way in 28^th place with a time of 4:57.08, while junior Raihana Yameogo (Dillsburg, Pa.) was just behind her in 30^th with a 5:06.00 mark. Senior Kaitlyn Stevens (Oxford, Mass.) also competed, finishing in 34^th with a 5:21.23 mark.

In the 100m hurdles prelim, sophomore Shayla Quill (Andover, Mass.) finished in 17^th with a 17.07 mark, while freshman Chloe Champagne (Brockton, Mass.) was right behind her in 18^th place with a time of 17.72.

The 3,000m steeplechase concluded the day following a long rain delay. Freshman Lauren Long (Lunenburg, Mass.) fought the adversity and set a personal record with a time of 11:24.90 for 11th place. 

In the field events, the hammer throw got it started, with Joyce Nabagereka and junior Julia Loescher (Peabody, Mass.) finished back-to-back in 16^th and 17^th place, respectively. Nabagereka earned a personal-best 44.14m mark, while Loescher tossed 40.89m.

The pole vault was next, and sophomore Úna Brice (Cork, Ireland) finished with a 3.25m mark, while senior Jules Gravier (Bronxville, N.Y.) also earned a 3.25m mark for 11^th. Freshman Jaden Kasule (Tewksbury, Mass.) (3.10m) and senior Madison Sanchez (Amesbury, Mass.) (2.95m) finished in 15^th and 16^th place, respectively.

The first four events of the heptathlon also occurred on Saturday, and the 100m hurdles kicked it off. Graduate student Alexandria Grasso (North Reading, Mass.) won the event with a 13.86 mark, with senior Fleur Balogh De Galantha (Groton, Mass.) finishing fourth with a time of 15.35. Junior Paige Murphy also competed, finishing in 12^th with a 16.40 mark. In the heptathlon high jump, Balogh De Galantha finished second, clearing 1.57m, while Murphy was just behind her in a tie for third with a 1.54m mark. Grasso finished tied for 12^th with a 1.42m mark.

The heptathlon shot put followed, and Grasso took the top spot with an 11.42m toss, while Balogh De Galantha was just below her in second with a toss of 10.88m. Murphy concluded the shot put in eighth place with a 9.47m mark. They then moved onto the 200m dash, where Grasso led the River Hawks again in second place with a personal-best time of 25.08. Murphy was next in sixth with a 26.66 mark, before Balogh De Galantha finished in 14^th with a 28.20 mark.  

"The heptathlon women are in a good position," added Gardner.