Seniors Shine as Hawk Women Place Third at A-10 Championships

Feb. 18, 2006

KINGSTON, RI - Victories by seniors Thuy Nguyen in the 800 and Andria Smythe in the long jump helped to lift Saint Joseph's to a third place finish at the 2006 Atlantic 10 Indoor Track and Field Championships held at Rhode Island's Mackal Field House. The two Hawk seniors reclaimed A-10 titles, which each previously captured in 2004.

SJU accumulated 83 points to place third overall. Atlantic 10 newcomer Charlotte won its first-ever Conference title as it amassed 172 points, while La Salle was a distant second with 92 points. Richmond (79.0), Rhode Island (75.0), Fordham (73.0), Dayton (46.0), Duquesne (41.50), Massachusetts (38.0), Temple (31.50) and Xavier (10.0) rounded out the field.

Nguyen edged out Charlotte's Aja Jackson with a time of 2:13.59 to claim the 800 title. Smythe, meanwhile, used a leap of 19-01.25 to secure the long jump title. In addition to the long jump, Smythe also scored in three other events, totalling 22 points for SJU, placing third in the 55m Dash (7.10), fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 37-03.00 and eighth in the 200m 25.96. Nguyen also scored by running the anchor leg of SJU's 4x800 relay that placed fourth.

In addition to that duo, several other Hawks earned All-Conference Second Team honors. Freshman Natalie Miller finished second in the high jump with a leap of 5-05.00. The 4x400 relay of Lauren Wallace, Jordan Teuber, Amanda Guthridge and Julie Lentz also finished second (3:54.98).

The Crimson and Gray had several events in which multiple athletes scored. In addition to Smythe's win, freshman Lauren Slack placed fifth in teh long jump (17-04.75). Lentz (57.71) and Wallace (59:02), meanwhile placed fourth and seventh, respectively, in the 400m.

Rounding out the scorers for SJU were the Distance Medley Relay of Gen Story, Lauren Fike, Wallace and Suzie McHenry that placed fourth (12:31.15), Guthridge placing fourth at 500m (1:17.63), Rebecca Powell running fifth in the 1000m (2:59.86), McHenry finishing sixth at 5,000m (17:35.63) and Valerie Ramirez placing seventh in the 55m Hurdles (8.66).