Women's Track & Field 1/13/2007 12:00:00 AM

Wildcats Compete in NYC Gotham Cup

Jan. 13, 2007

NEW YORK CITY - Junior Frances Koons (Allentown, Pa.) was a double-winner on Friday as the Villanova women's track & field team opened the 2007 calendar schedule at the NYC Gotham Cup, hosted by New York University at the New York Armory in Manhattan. Koons picked up an individual title while setting a meet record in the 1000 meter run, and led off a Wildcat quartet that finished first in the 4x800 meter relay.

Koons posted a time of 2:45.70 in the 1000 meters and finished nearly six seconds ahead of senior teammate Akilah Vargas (Brooklyn, N.Y.), who came in second with a time of 2:51.71. Villanova had another individual champion as senior Monique Morgan (Kingston, Jamaica) won the 60 meter hurdles with a showing of 8.36 in the finals.

Another individual highlight for the Wildcats came in the 500 meters, where junior Arusha McKenzie (Kingston, Jamaica) and freshman Makalia Griffith (South Ozone Park, N.Y.) finished second and third, respectively.

In field events, senior Kourtney Marquis (Yardley, Pa.) placed third in the pole vault. Overall, Villanova had 24 different individuals place in the finals of their events at the meet. Complete results for the Wildcats are listed below, while the official meet results can be accessed via the link at the top of this release.

Villanvoa is next in action on January 26-27 at the National Open hosted by Penn State.

VILLANOVA RESULTS (only includes finals of each event)

60 Meter Hurdles

Monique Morgan - 1st (8.36)

400 Meter Dash

Tiera Fletcher - 4th (56.65)
Jordan Sarruda - 26th (59.74)
Kathryn Geissler - 37th (1:01.52)

500 Meter Dash

Arusha McKenzie - 2nd (1:14.72)
Makalia Griffith - 3rd (1:15.35)

800 Meter Run (unseeded)

Laura O'Sullivan - 20th (2:26.18)

800 Meter Run (seeded)

Emily McMillan - 10th (2:20.69)
Jillian Baczewski - 16th (2:24.88)