BOSTON, Mass. – The UMass Lowell women's track and field team advanced its indoor campaign Friday, welcoming teams for day one of the River Hawk Invite at the TRACK at new balance in Boston, Mass.

The field events commenced day one of the River Hawk Invitational, beginning with weight throw. Junior Nhyira Nkansah (Chelmsford, Mass.) was on the board first for UMass Lowell, placing 11th after throwing a new personal best of 11.69m. Freshman Zoe Clarke (Dracut, Mass.) also competed, finishing in 16th at a mark of 9.87m. 

Freshman Nyrah Joseph (Billerica, Mass.) launched for a 4.95m mark in the long jump invite event, earning 18th place. Close behind, graduate student Fleur Balogh de Galantha (Grafton, Mass.) claimed 21st after jumping for a 4.92m mark, and senior Paige Murphy (Billerica, Mass.) finishing in 24th place at a mark of 4.86m. Next, the pole vault event included one vaulter for the River Hawks in sophomore Jaden Kasule (Tewksbury, Mass.) who elevated for a 3.05m mark, taking 17th place. Nkansah also competed in the shot put invite event, tossing for an 11.08m mark, taking 23rd place. 

In the high jump event, sophomore Avery Pitts (Willington, Conn.) led the pack, leaping for a 1.65m mark for fourth place, as Balogh de Galantha finished behind in fifth place at a 1.60m mark. Joseph and sophomore Chloe Champagne (Brockton, Mass.) tied in 18th place after jumping for a 1.50m mark, as Murphy finished next for UMass Lowell in 31st at 1.45m. The last field event for the River Hawks was the triple jump invite, as junior Nethica Auguste (Bridgewater, Mass.) took 14th at 10.58m and sophomore Anya Neira (Methuen, Mass.) finished in 21st at 9.75m. 

Kicking off the running events with the 60m hurdles preliminary, Joseph and Balogh de Galantha finished back-to-back with Joseph in 16th at 9.26 and Balogh de Galantha in 17th at 9.30. Also running in the event, junior Shayla Quill (Andover, Mass.) (49th, 10.01) and Murphy (51st, 10.09). The 60m dash preliminary followed, with junior Jayani Santos (Tewksbury, Mass.) crossing first for the River Hawks at a time of 8.06 for 25th place. Junior Bridget Geary (Lowell, Mass.) was next, finishing in 44th at 8.21, while senior Danielle Thompson (Groton, Mass.) took 54th at 8.35 and sophomore Meredith Feener (Walpole, Mass.) placed 58th at 8.38. Quill ran in the event as well.  

Graduate student Sarah Ross (Agawam, Mass.) led the one-mile run for UMass Lowell, placing 21st with a time of 5:10.01. Staying attached, senior Miana Caraballo (Methuen, Mass.) claimed 28th at 5:14.20 and senior Mia Jones (Blacksburg, Va.) took 39th place at 5:24.75. Geary was the solo competitor for the River Hawks in the 400m dash invite, claiming 25th after clocking in at 1:00.67. Junior Soria Roberts (Warwick, N.Y.) ran hard in the 400m dash open, earning a 10-place finish at a time of 1:03.67. 

The River Hawks soared in the 800m run event, with senior Raihana Yameogo (Dillsburg, Pa.) leading the way, finishing in 7th after punching in at 2:17.45. Sophomore Brenna Corcoran (Haverhill, Mass.) was just behind in ninth place with a time of 2:18.32, and junior Katharine Cottone (Little Falls, N.J.) claimed 18th at 2:20.45 to round out the River Hawks. Junior Nubia Pereira (Woburn, Mass.) was the first to run past the finish line for the River Hawks in the 1,000m run, earning ninth place at a time of 3:00.56. Following behind, junior Julie Condon claimed 18th at 3:06.94 and sophomore Isabel McIntyre (Dover, N.H.) took 20th at 3:11.02, while sophomore Alyssa Fiorino (Billerica, Mass.) concluded the runners for UMass Lowell, finishing in 26th at 3:16.98. 

In the 200m dash invite, Santos was the only competitor for the River Hawks, sprinting to an eighth-place finish after clocking in at 25.04. During the 200m dash open, Feener was in front for UMass Lowell, earning 18th place after running past the line at the 26.55. Freshman Kathryn Perrone (Washington, Mass.) also competed in the 200m open, finishing in 46th at 27.75. Sophomore Lauren Long (Lunenburg, Mass.) kept good pace in the 3,000m run, clocking in at 10:22.26 for a 16th place finish. Close by, sophomore Selena Wood (Abington, Mass.) finished in 39th at 11:01.11 before graduate student Kaitlyn Stevens (Oxford, Mass.) (44th, 11:21.72) and junior Lena Takahashi (Holden, Mass.) (46th, 11:36.30) rounded out the River Hawks.

Wrapping up the invitational, UMass Lowell had a small team compete in the 4x400m relay, with Cottone, Thompson, Geary, and Roberts a part of the event, claiming 21st place overall after finishing at a time of 4:17.47. 

The indoor team returns for a midweek meet this Wednesday, February 11, in Durham, N.H., as New Hampshire hosts the River Hawks at the UNH Invite.