Huskies Outperform at Husky Challenge

Fri, Dec 8, 2023

STORRS, Conn. - The University of Connecticut men's and women's track & field teams performed remarkably well in the home indoor meet at the Husky Challenge to kick start the indoor season. Both teams combined won 25 events in the two-day meet.

The meet highlighted both the pentathlon winner for the women with Alyssa Elliott breaking her personal record at 3,742 points and winning in the pentathlon 800 meters (2:18.72) and the pentathlon high jump (1.63m) and the heptathlon winner for the men with first-year Joshua Mooney putting up an impressive 5,217 total points. Mooney won the heptathlon 60 meters (6.98 seconds), the heptathlon long jump (6.68m), the heptathlon high jump (1.90m), and the heptathlon 60m hurdles (8.04 seconds).

Also, the women wrapped up the meet with outstanding showings from Natalia Surdej and Jailya Ash. Surdej won in the weight throw and set a new personal best for a throw of 18.96m. Then, on the track, Ash blazed in the 60 –meter hurdles for a personal best of 8.27 seconds. Sinclaire Fryer also set a new personal best in the shot put for a first-place result of 14.03m.

Additionally, the men showed out well with many strong performances coming from the first-years. Freshman Noble Gongon blazed in the 60 meters with a first-place time of 6.84 seconds and then ran another first-pace time in the 300 meters going 35.36 seconds. On the field, first-years Mawali Osunniyi finished first in the high jump (2.09m) and Kyle Johnson took first in the triple jump (15.43m). Also to highlight the night would be Travis Roux with a huge personal best in the weight throw at 19.47m.

Up Next

The Huskies will next compete at the Suffolk Invite on Saturday, Jan. 13 in Boston.

At UConn Husky Challenge

Women

Katelyn Reid in Pentathlon (2nd, 3596), Freshman Audrey Kozak (5th, 3053)
PR for Emily Alty in WT (2nd, 16.95m).
Patricia Mroczkowski captured first place in the high jump with a leap of 1.73m.
Jasmine Barrow in LJ (2nd, 5.72m), Gabrielle Germann (4th, 5.38m)
Felicia Quainoo in 60mH (3rd, 8.88)
Mia Dansby in 60m (2nd, 7.72), PR for Ta'Jae Jackson (3rd, 7.76), Jaia James (4th, 7.78), Brianna Davis (5th, 7.79)
Freshman Anna Connors won the 500 meters with a strong time of 1:16.53. PR for Jalah Cooper in 500m (2nd, 1:17.08), Raquel Rosa (3rd, 1:18.37)
Caroline Rice won the 600 meters going 1:38.54. Gabby Davis in 600m (3rd, 1:44.39)
Ta'Jae Jackson in 300m (2nd, 40.57), PR for Mia Dansby (3rd, 41.15), PR for Jessica Starr (4th, 41.66), PR for Jaia James (5th, 42.17)
In 4x400 with Jalah Cooper, Caroline Rice, Raquel Rosa, and Anna Connors took first running a time of 3:54.44.
Kalli Knott won the pole vault with a height of 3.65m. Sofia Wittmann in PV (2nd, 3.65m), PR for Mallory Malz (3rd, 3.51m), Rachel Mason (5th, 3.51m)
Gabriela DeFelice in SP (5th, 12.21)
Jasmine Barrow won in the triple jump with a leap of 12.62 meters. Felicia Quainoo in TJ (2nd, 11.95m),

Men

Dante Bailey and Kasey Savage took second and third in high jump as they both reached a top mark of 1.96m.
PR for Alex Krause in WT (2nd, 16.96m), PR for Connor Hayford (3rd, 15.94m), PR for Nicholas Connolly (4th, 15.78m)
Marc Morrison took first in the long jump with a distance of 7.51m. Freshman Kyle Johnson followed with a second-place finish of 7.22m. - Richmond Kwaateng in LJ (5th, 6.99m)
Travis Snyder in PV (1st, 5.35m)
PR for Garrett McHeard in SP (2nd, 16.26m), Jack Foster (3rd, 15.27m), Nicholas Connolly (15.04m), Tyley Lyon (5th, 14.94m)
Terrel Williams won the 60-meter hurdles with just a millisecond away from tying his personal best going 7.72 seconds. Donovan Wright in 60mH (2nd, 8.24), William Watson (3rd, 8.30), Carl Gaines (5th, 8.40)
Joseph O'Brien in 60m (2nd, 6.87), Damon Simpson (3rd, 6.92), PR for Marc Morrison (4th, 6.96)
Freshman OJ Singletary won the 500 meters running a time of 1:06.10. Anish Rajamanickam in 500m (2nd, 1:07.34)
Mekhi Stone won the 600 meters with a time of 1:22.34. Freshman Evan Piotrowski in 600m (4th, 1:27.36)
PR for Carl Gaines in 300m (5th, 39.20)
PR for Zach Barry in 1000m (3rd, 2:34.34)
In 4x400 with Anish Rajamanickam, Joseph O'Brien, Evan Piotrowski, and OJ Singletary took first with a time of 3:23.66
PR for Kasey Savage (2nd, 15.11m), PR for Joron Harrell (4th, 14.92m)