Purrier's Record Run in Steeple Paces 'Cats in Providence

Saturday, April 15

Durham, N.H.

11AM

University of New Hampshire

Wildcat Invitational

Elinor Purrier ran at least one of the country's fastest steeplechase races on Saturday.

Photo by: Rick Morgan

4/15/2017 10:40:00 PM | Women's Track & Field

DURHAM, N.H. – All American junior Elinor Purrier (Montgomery, Vt.) broke her own school record in the 3000 meter steeplechase in winning the event at the Ocean State Invitational at Providence College on Saturday night.

Purrier covered the course in a time of 9 minutes, 43.65 seconds, shaving more than four seconds off her old mark and running the fastest time in the NCAA in the event this year. The next fastest time is a 9:50.60 run by Penn State senior Tori Gerlach on Friday.

This was Purrier's first time running the steeple this season. Coming into the weekend, the fastest time posted this year in the steeplechase was 9:55.61.

Purrier's previous record was 9:47.71, set last June when she finished third in the NCAA Championships.

Senior Laura Rose Donegan (Melbourne, Australia) finished third in Saturday's race in a time of 10:17.93. Donegan finished sixth in the NCAA Championships last season.

The Wildcats split their squad this week for a pair of meets. Purrier and Donegan were among 10 members of the team at the Ocean State Invitational.

The rest of the team competed in a home meet on the Reggie Atkins Track & Field Facility in Wildcat Stadium.

Led by a sweep of the top four positions in the high jump, UNH scored 199.50 points to win the meet in Durham. Maine finished second with 189 points, Bates was third with 140.50 and Merrimack was fourth with 79.

UP NEXT

The Wildcats will compete at UMass Lowell on Saturday, April 22 in a meet that also includes Vermont and Southern Connecticut.
UNH will host the America East outdoor track & field championships on May 6 and 7.

RACE RESULTS

The Wildcats took the second through fourth spots in the 5000 meter run at the Ocean State Invitational. In Durham, Jeannette Mara (Bedford, N.H.) matched her personal best of 5 feet, 7 inches to lead the high jumpers. Other top results from Saturday's meets included:

At Providence:

Senior Alex Giese (Franklin, Mass.) had a personal best time of 17:05.17 to finish second in the 5000.
Senior Amanda Szymanski (Londonderry, N.H.) was third in the 5000 and freshman Meg Champagne (Plattsburgh, N.Y.) was fourth.
Junior Danielle Gajewski (Danville, N.H.) was fourth in the 800 and sophomore Shannon Murdock was sixth in a personal best time of 2:12.06.
Senior Cassie Kruse (Hampshire, Ill.) finished second in the mile.

At Durham:

Junior Tessa Artruc (Livonia, N.Y.) won the 400 meter dash in 57.89 seconds.
Sophomore Shelby Strickland (Kennebunk, Maine) was second in the high jump, Artruc was third and junior Rachel Morrison (Westwood, Mass.) was fourth.
Senior Alyson Messina (Bangor, Maine) won the 400 hurdles in 1:04.28.
Junior Kari Murnane (Byram, N.J.) won the pole vault at a height of 11 feet, 1.75 inches.
Junior Emily Wernig (Gilford, N.H.) won the discus with a throw of 133 feet, three inches.