UMA Women Win USCAA National Invitational Championship Meet

BURLINGTON, Vermont – The University of Maine at Augusta women's outdoor track & field teams traveled to Burlington for the USCAA National Invitational Championship Meet which would also be scored as the YSCC Track and Field Invitational Championship. Spring weather in New England was not kind to the student-athletes, adding an extra layer of difficulty to the competition with wind and rain throughout the day and temperatures in the lower 40's.

As soon as the Moose stepped off the bus they embraced the cold wind and rain as they knew staying positive throughout the entire day would make the difference in how well they would do against their competition. Kate Stevens (2^nd) and Charlene Beringer (4^th) got the women rolling in the first event of the day, the hammer throw, scoring a combined 12 points by the time the 10,000m was complete.

The UMA women kicked things off on the track in the 4x100m finishing first; outkicking Unity College. Individually Emily Billings pulled off a first-place finish in the 400m and the 800m while also being a member of the winning 4x100m and the 4x400m relay teams. Abby Haskell was also to place in both the long jump (3^rd) and 1^st in the triple jump nationally while being pushed outside of her comfort zone by running a leg of the 4x400m relay.

Meganne Radway who focused primarily on the 5000m was able to place 2^nd adding to the total 123-points the Moose would end with to win the USCAA National Invitational Championship. The UMA women also won the YSCC Conference Invitational with 166-points followed by Unity College (89-points).

This was the inaugural season for track and field for the University of Maine at Augusta and head coach Brendan Gilpatrick was excited with how the women performed over the weekend: "Our women's team has worked so hard for this. We are a small team but every single member stepped up in their own way this weekend in miserable conditions and excelled. This is a special group of women and this is the most a coach could ask for out of a first-year program. We would not be in this position without the support of our Athletic Director Jennifer Laney who also coached our throwers."

USCAA National Invitational Team Scores
Women: 1. UMA (123), 2. Unity College (89), 3. Vermont Tech (88), 4. Albany College of Pharmacy (70), 5. PSU-Fayette (60), 6. Maine-Fort Kent (34), 7. PSU-Greater Allegheny (16), 8. Hampshire (6)

YSCC Invitational Team Scores

Women: 1. UMA (166), 2. Unity (135), 3. Vermont Tech (118), 4. Hampshire (10)

Complete Results:
https://www.tfrrs.org/results/61045/f/USCAA_Outdoor_Track_&_Field_Championships/

Women's National Invitational Championship Highlights

• Abby Haskell: Long Jump (3^rd), Triple Jump (1^st), 100m (4^th)
• Charlene Beringer: Discus (3^rd)
• Kate Stevens: Hammer (2^nd)
• Emily Billings: 1^st in the 400m (1^st), 800m (1^st)  
• Faith Krause: 800m (3^rd)
• Hunter Hoague: 400m (3^rd)
• Meganne Radway: 5000m (2^nd)
• 1^st 4x100m Relay Team (Billings, Haskell, Krause, Hoague)
• 1^st 4x400m Relay Team (Billings, Haskell, Krause, Hoague)

Women's YSCC Conference Invitational Championship Highlights

• Abby Haskell: Triple Jump (1^st), 100m (1^st), 200m (3^rd), Long Jump (2^nd),   
• Charlene Beringer: Shot Put (2^nd), Discus (1^st), Hammer (2^nd)  
• Kate Stevens: Hammer (1^st), Shot Put (3^rd)  
• Emily Billings: 200m (1^st), 400m (1^st), 800m (1^st)  
• Faith Krause: 800m (3^rd)
• Hunter Hoague: 400m (3^rd)
• Meganne Radway: 5000m (1^st)
• 1^st 4x100m Relay Team (Billings, Haskell, Krause, Hoague)
• 1^st 4x400m Relay Team (Billings, Haskell, Krause, Hoague)