December 6, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laura Williamson
(413) 585-2703

Four Pioneers Qualify for the Division III New England Indoor Track & Field Championships

Northampton, MA: Smith College, Williams College, Amherst College, Mount Holyoke, Keene State, Salem State College, Worcester State College, Lasell College, and a handful of unattached participants took full advantage of the opportunity to compete against talented opposition this afternoon at the Smith College Winter Classic indoor track & field meet in Northampton, MA.

The Smith track & field team had a successful day with Etta Grover-Silva '10 (Arcata, CA), Gabriela Kubik '11 (White Bear Lake, MN), Shakwana Etienne '11 (W. Orange, NJ), and Angela Mary Cote '12 (Gardiner, MT) all qualifying for the Division III New England Indoor Track & Field Championships with their performances this afternoon at the Smith College Winter Classic.

Grover-Silva took first in the pole vault clearing the bar at 3.05m. Cote's 4.84m long jump earned her first-place in the event. Kubik and Etienne placed second and fourth in the shot put with throws of 11.14m and 10.83m.   

Catherine McGuinness '11 (Fairfax, VT) started her sophomore season with a first-place finish and a personal best distance in the weight throw at 11.66m. The Pioneers also placed first in the 4x200 meter relay at 1:55.92 with runners Kaitlin Eison-Washington '12 (Portland, OR), Grover-Silva, Caitlin Ritchie '09 (Meriden, CT), and Cote.

Alina Ainyette '09 (South Orange, NJ) finished third for the Pioneers in the 400 meter dash with a time of 1:04.70. Smith runners Anna Leversee '12 (Keene, NH), Ainyette, Julie Vassar '11 (Gaithersburg, MD), and Eleanor Theurer '12 (Gainesville, FL) took third in the 4x400 meter relay with a time of 4:27.72.

Full results of both the women's and men's events at the 2008 Smith College Winter Classic can be found at www.smith.edu/athletics/sports/track/schedule.html.