W&M Women's Track and Field Boasts 12 Qualifiers on First Night of Penn Relays

Lynn Morelli Debuts at 10,000m, Runs NCAA Provisional and School #2 Time

04/24/09 11:43AM

PHILADELPHIA - William and Mary women's track and field senior Lynn Morelli (Philadelphia, Pa) was one of seven Tribe athletes to total 12 championship qualifications on the first day of the Penn Relay Carnival yesterday, which ended well past midnight.

Complete Thursday Results

10,000m College Championship
Running in front of her hometown crowd, Morelli cruised to an NCAA provisional qualification and the Tribe's all-time #2 performance in her 10,000m debut, taking third in the college championship race in 34:42.13. Only All-American Ali Henderson '03 has ever run faster at that distance.

5,000m Olympic Development
Running against some of the nation's most promising post-collegiates, junior Meghan Burns (Coopersburg, Pa.) ran a career-best 16:57.28 to qualify for the ECAC Championships. It was only the second 5,000m for Burns, who had previously run 17:04.11 at the Raleigh Relays.

5,000m College Championship
Junior Kayley Byrne (Oak Hill, Va.) re-affirmed her ECAC qualification in the 5,000m, running 16:57.81 in the college championship race less than one week after her career-best performance at the CAA Championships.

3,000m College Championship
Freshman Heather Beichner (Cary, N.C.) picked up her second U.S. Junior Championship qualification Thursday night, running 9:53.29 in her 3,000m debut to place 12th in the college championship race. Beichner, who is also qualified to the junior championships in the 1,500m, came in under the ECAC standard.

3,000m Steeplechase College Championship
Sophomore Betsy Graney (Harper Woods, Mich.) is rapidly rounding into form in the steeplechase, running a season-best 10:39.17 for fourth place Thursday night and re-qualifying for both the NCAA East Regional and the ECAC Championships. The time also boosts her about 25 spots in the national rankings.

Pole Vault College Championship
Junior Nicole Kazuba (Chantilly, Va.) was just behind her personal-best height in the championship flight, finishing second with a vault of 12-11.5 (3.95 meters). She requalified to both the NCAA East Regional and the ECAC Championships with the effort.

Discus College Division
Competing in the second flight of the discus didn't phase Natalie Baird (Sterling, Va.), as she broke her own school and freshman records by nearly three feet and qualified to the NCAA Regional with a throw of 155-5 (47.37m). Baird finished third in her flight, and re-affirmed her spot at the ECAC Championships in May.

The Tribe doesn't have anyone competing in Friday's events, but will return to action on Saturday in the 4x800m relay.