ABERDEEN, SD – An overwhelming team effort in the long jump led by Arianna Passeri paced the University of Mary women's track & field team on the opening day of the 2022 Northern Sun Outdoor Track & Field Championships on a windy day in Aberdeen, SD.
 
The Marauders swamped the competition in the long jump as five of the eight scholar-athletes taking the championship podium represented UMary.
 
Passeri led the charge when she jumped from 5^th place to 2^nd on her final effort of the day in the long jump. The junior leaped 6.06 meters in her sixth attempt to move up three slots and earn All-Northern Sun honors as the event runner-up.
 
Samoya Neil was right behind in 4^th place when she hit a mark of 6.05 meters on her first try of the day. D'Andra Morris (5.99 meters) was 5^th, A'Lena Cheney (5.62 meters) placed 6^th and Taylor Weidner (5.59 meters) rounded out the scoring with an 8^th place finish. Combined the Marauders scored 21 points in the long jump.
 
Abigail Jones and Starlynn Costa both scored for the Marauders in the 3000 meter steeplechase. Jones placed fourth after conquering the obstacles and splashing through the water in a time of 11:06.79. Costa claimed seventh place in 11:25.40.
 
Morris tied for 5^th in the high jump after clearing the bar at 1.65 meters.
 
Andrijana Fundak scored the Marauders first points of the weekend when she placed 7^th in the 10000 meter run with a clocking of 37:50.90.
 
Several Marauders advanced to Saturdays finals after stellar performances on the track in the preliminaries:

• 1500 meter run | Taylor Hestekin (4:45.90), Taryn Ceglowski (4:42.71) and Reid Shiland (4:46.68) all advance. Among all runners Ceglowski had the 3^rd fastest time on Friday.
• 100 meter hurdles | Tereza Bolibruch (13.82 seconds) had the 2^nd fastest time of the day
• 400 meter dash | Ava Grimm ran the 4^th best time to advance (58.56)
• 100 meter dash | Arianna Passari posted the 5th best time (12.04) earn a spot in Saturday's final
• 800 meter run | Defending NSIC champion Elizabeth Acheson (2:15.61) placed 2^nd and Courtney Dembrowski (2:16.50) was 7^th to advance to the event finals
• 400 meter hurdles | Morgan Hertz (1:04.09) placed 3^rd and Danalee Brock (1:04.58) was 6^th to advance the duo to the finals

 
After seven events with one event left to score the defending champion Marauders are in 4^th place entering Championship Saturday with 33.5 points. Minnesota State leads with 71 points, followed by Augustana (42), Wayne State (34) and UMary in a field of 15 teams.
 
#marauders#