STATEN ISLAND, NY – The Rider University women's track and field team had another successful meet on Friday at the Saint Thomas Aquinas College Spartan Invitational. The one-day event was contested at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex.

The Broncs won three different events on Friday and picked up one ECAC-qualifying mark.

For the second straight meet, graduate student Sara Gardner (Holland Township, NJ/Delaware Valley) was the top collegiate finisher in the 60m hurdles. On Friday, she won with an ECAC-qualifying time of 8.66.

Senior Ashley Berry (Somerset, NJ/Franklin) continued the strong start to the calendar year with a win in the weight throw. She finished first with a toss of 16.22m to edge teammate Fidele Jules (Tinton Falls, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) who landed in second-place in the event at 16.21m.

The Rider 4x800 quartet of Katie Ward (Old Bridge, NJ/Mother Seton), Paris Boucher (Washington, NJ/Warren Hills Regional), Andrea Benites (Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) and Nicole Berry (Berlin, NJ/Winslow Township) won by nearly 40 seconds with a time of 9:31.64.

In the 3,000, the Broncs got strong showings from freshman Teagan Schein-Becker (Trappe, PA/Perkiomen Valley) and junior Peri Pavicic (Princeton, NJ/Hopewell Valley Central). Schein-Becker landed in second-place with a time of 10:10.95, while Pavicic ended up in third at 10:10.97.

NOTES & QUOTES
"We had a really good meet today. The goal was to be up near the top in every event and collect some wins when the opportunities presented and I think the athletes did a really nice job with that goal today. We got some really great effort from many areas and we improved from last week. If we can keep this momentum going forward we will get to where we want to go this season." – Rider Head Coach Bob Hamer

"Gardner and Ashley Berry had good days with each picking up wins in their events. They are both consistent performers for the team and they show up every week ready to perform. The women's middle distance runners had a real nice meet winning the 4x800 relay and then coming back to run some nice races in the 800 and 1000. It is an area of big improvement for the program. Schein-Becker and Pavicic both had big results in the 3000. We are making some great strides right now." – Hamer

- It marked the second straight meet and third overall for the Broncs at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex.
- Quinn Bithell finished tied for second in the high jump with a mark of 1.60m.
- Alexis Barrall tied for fourth overall in the pole vault, clearing 2.90m.
- Lindsay Bauer landed in second-place in the long jump with a leap of 5.38m.
- Ronetta Hunter was second in the shot put with a throw of 13.21m.
- Ashley Berry came in third in the shot put with a toss of 12.87m.
- Fidele Jules finished fourth in the shot put with a mark of 12.80m.
- Cleopatra Morrison was third in the 60m dash with a time of 7.80.
- Superia Ryan was fourth in the weight throw at 15.19m.