Women's and Men's Track & Field Teams Set Records Ahead of Conference Championships at UNH

DURHAM, N.H. – Two school records were broken April 19. Another fell April 27. That recent surge brought the total for the 2024-25 men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field seasons to seven.

These eight record-setting Wildcats are among those to watch at the 2025 America East Outdoor Track & Field Championships that are being held at the University of New Hampshire's Reggie Atkins Track & Field Facility on May 3-4.

"Our athletes are ready for the level of competition and to force everyone else to step up," said Anna Magle-Haberek, the director of all UNH cross country and track & field teams. "I'm really excited to host. It's a fast track and a beautiful facility."

2024-25 UNH Track & Field School Records

Date	Event	Student-Athlete	Record
Dec. 7	Women's Long Jump	Sarah Moore	5.82m (19' 1.25")
Jan. 31	Women's Shot Put	Emma Reaves	14.06m (46' 1.5")
Feb. 14	Men's Mile	Aidan Shea	4:01.74
Feb. 22	Women's Long Jump	Sarah Moore	5.85m (19' 2.5"0
March 8	Women's 10,000m	Ruth White	33:27.57
April 19	Women's 4x100m Relay	Nada, Roberts, Thronton, Moore	46.85 seconds
April 19	Women's Long Jump	Sarah Moore	6.29m (20' 7.75")
April 27	Men's Shot Put	Yoofi Abaka-Amuah	18.82m (61' 9")

Freshman Sarah Moore (Lisbon, Maine) factored in both UNH records set April 19 at the George Davis Invitational that was held at UMass Lowell. On the third of her six attempts in the long jump, Moore broke the school record with a mark of 6.29 meters (20 feet, 7.75 inches). She shattered the previous benchmark of 18-9.75 set last year by teammate Olivia Chamberlain.

"It like finally felt like I finally broke through and finally everything was clicking and things were finally coming together," Moore said. "The progression was amazing. I mean I've never had that happen before so having that happen it was like it really like opened up my mind. It was like wow, it's possible. That was the first time this year that I hit the board and I could feel it pop up. I finally found the board and everything was clicking."

Moore went on to record a leap of 6.30m on her final attempt, but that winning mark was not wind-legal (2.2) for record status. In fact, she bested the school record at 6.14m in the Jim Boulanger Invitational two weeks earlier, but once again it was not wind-legal to qualify as a record.

"Things started off really well," Magle-Haberek explained. "Her previous best jump had been a 6.14 and her very first jump was a 6.17, so we started off with a tremendous jump and then just kind of built on it and was able to get a 6.29 and a 6.30. She actually had broken it with her first outdoor meet so we knew we knew she was gonna get it this spring for sure."

Earlier that day, Moore ran the anchor leg of the Wildcats' record-setting 4x100 meter relay team that combined for a first-place time of 46.85 seconds. The first three legs were run by freshman Mariam Nada (Portsmouth, N.H.), classmate Eva Roberts (Derry, N.H.) and sophomore Audrey Thornton (Freedom, N.H.).

"So I've had my eyes on that 4x100 really since fall, and really since we signed those three freshmen that are on it knowing that they had a shot at that school record," Magle-Haberek said. "And this was the first time the four of them ran together and it was the first time all spring we had nice weather so I knew they had a shot at it.

"Mariam Nada coming out of the blocks as a freshman – she got second in in New Englands in the open 60 so obviously she has that speed coming out of the blocks – opened it up really well, got us out to good start and then handed off to Eva Roberts in the two. She's a freshman out of Pinkerton – she's actually on the state record-holding 4x100 in high school – and that handoff is really clean and they did a great job. And then Eva to Audrey had a very clean handoff and then Audrey to Sarah. I actually think they can go even faster if we get them in a good heat."

Nada felt confident before the race and that didn't change after completing her opening 100m.

"Off my block felt really strong and handing it to Eva and then I just watched them basically sprint through and I was like OK that looks really strong," she said. "For the last remainder of the 30 seconds that are left for the race you just cheer out across the track to the fourth leg and even if they don't hear you it's like they know in their heart that you're cheering them on.

"We knew that we were able to do it and being able to prove ourselves right it was really nice and we can hopefully do better going forward and I'm excited for it."

Roberts continued to extend UNH's lead in the race in the second leg down the straightaway.

"Me and Miriam, I feel like we definitely had good chemistry and I feel like we've always had good chemistry," Roberts said. "Our handoff was a perfect handoff deep in the zone and then second leg it was kind of like just run as fast as you can because I had no one to push me."

And then after the baton exchange with Audrey?

"I yell at her immediately. I was like 'Come on Audrey! Let's go! You gotta go as fast as you can!'"

Thornton did exactly that as she ran the turn before making the baton exchange.

"When I handed it off to Sarah and I saw that there was no team behind us I yelled. I said 'Run!' and she was going really fast I knew we were running really good and I was looking at the clock. I stopped and I cheered her on and she kept running and I couldn't exactly see the finish line so it was like 'When is she going to cross it? When is she going to cross it?' and then it was like 44, 45 and then it was 46 when she crossed it so it definitely felt good and was really exciting."

Moore has not run an open 100m this season, but Magle-Haberek has no reservations about her running the anchor leg.

"Sarah's very competitive and she obviously has the speed even though we haven't put her in an open 100 yet this spring," she said. "And I know that if we do get her in a race where she has somebody to chase, she'll chase them down."

There was no one for Moore to chase down that day, but she did her part to set the record.

"The wind was not in my favor as the anchor but the exchange between Audrey and me was great," Moore said. "It was probably the best one we've had and that that helped because it was super smooth and just being able to take off and get the burst after and just kind of glide through the 100 really helped."

And did she hear Audrey's cheers?

"I heard the first one and then after that everything was tuned out."

And with three of the four Wildcats running immediately to check in at long jump, the celebration was slightly delayed.

"We were just starting warm ups but then we all gave each other a hug and it was really nice and it was a little like 'Ohh did we just do that? Yeah we did it.' and it was a big celebration and lots of smiles," Thornton said.

This young quartet of 'Cats could break the 4x100m relay record again this weekend at the America East Championships.

"To be on our home track is a very big deal so it'd be really cool to break another school record on our own turf," Roberts said. "If we have the same handoffs, I think that it's 100 percent gonna happen because we have some really, really good teams pushing us this week."

Breaking UNH records is not new for Moore. In her first collegiate meet, she broke the school indoor long jump record with a leap of 5.82m (19-1.25) at the Alden Invitational on Dec. 7, 2024. Once again, it was teammate Chamberlain's name that she erased from the record book.

"This string of records started with Sarah Moore," classmate Emma Reaves said. "I wasn't there, unfortunately, but when she came home I was just so excited to see her. She's an extremely humble person and she doesn't want to make a big deal of that but of course we're going to make a big deal about it for her. It was just so phenomenal to see her doing that and setting an example."

Moore bested her own benchmark at the America East Indoor Track & Field Championships (Feb. 22) with a distance of 5.85m (19-2.5).

Moore enters this weekend's America East Championships as the long jump's top seed ahead of Chamberlain, the former UNH record holder.

"I think she should do very well at conference and New England, and with her current mark should – based on what typically goes to the first round of the nationals – she should have a trip to Jacksonville in her future," Magle-Haberek said.

It was, in fact, Reaves (Westminster, Md.) who was the next record setter following the season opener. On Jan. 31, the rookie thrower broke the women's indoor shot put record with a throw of 14.06m (46-1.5) at the John Thomas Terrier Classic on Jan. 31. Despite fouling on her third attempt, Reaves advanced to the finals and set the new benchmark on her fifth attempt of the day.

"I just wanted to have a good meet," Reaves stated. "My first three throws were progressively getting better, my throw progression was looking good. I fouled my third throw going into finals and I was really frustrated that I missed that last throw but they called my name for finals and I was ready to go after it.

"My next throw was in and it felt really good and I was like OK it's time to go you're just a little bit off. I was like – I have two more tosses left – and then my second-to-last throw I stayed calm, I listened to my coach, his cues were awesome and it was a perfect throw for me. It really was."

But did she think it was a record-breaking throw?

"No, I had no clue," Reaves stated. "I don't even think I knew what the previous school record was before that throw because it wasn't really in my mind. I didn't know I could throw that far. I threw it and I saw it land past a certain line and I had no idea of how far it was. It felt good. I knew it looked good and my coach cheered for me before I heard anything and I was like, OK well I guess it's a good throw.

"They read off the number and I was shocked to hear it was over 14 meters, which is a pretty big milestone and not even a goal – my goal was far lower than that for the season and I broke it. All of my teammates came over and congratulated me. I was overwhelmed with joy, and my coach came up to me and said 'Congratulations you're school record holder' and that was awesome."

Reaves shattered the previous women's indoor shot put record by 8.25 inches; Lauren Knight's mark of 13.74m (45-5.25) had stood since 2004.

"Emma is such a competitor and she's such a tremendous teammate and athlete and she is one of the hardest workers I've ever seen on the team," Magle-Haberek said. "I think putting together that indoor school record was such a great accomplishment for her and I know she's got she's got more to do here as we move to outdoors."

In the outdoor season, Reaves has been named the America East Field Rookie of the Week twice and the Women's Field Athlete of the Week once. She enters the conference championships ranked No. 2 in both the shot put (13.53m) and discus (45.50m).

"I would love to throw a season best in both of my events – that would be phenomenal," she said. "I don't want to put a mark to it, but I really want to just do my best, stay calm, do what I've been working on in practice and apply what I've been learning. That's my goal: be consistent and execute."

The newest addition to the record book is also in the shot put as junior Yoofi Abaka-Amuah (Worcester, Mass.) broke the men's outdoor record with a throw of 18.82m (61' 9") this past Sunday, April 27, at the UMass Pre-Conference Qualifier. Brice Paey's throw of 59-4 had stood since 2010.

"In warm ups, I felt pretty good and I was talking to my coach throughout warmups and he was like, yeah you're looking great and so I kind of was just trusting him," Abaka-Amuah explained. "The first throw I kind of missed it. It was right there and I could feel it so on the second throw I just listened to the cues he was giving me and I just felt it on that throw and it felt really great.

"I didn't know it was a record but I knew it felt pretty good coming out of my hand. Once we knew the mark, he let me know it was a record about a couple minutes later. He was like 'You broke the school record by over half a meter' and it just felt great."

Abaka-Amuah is the No. 1 seed in the America East Championships with that record performance. He is also ranked No. 2 in the discus – his favorite event – with a mark of 52.00m (170-7).

"I'm very excited to throw at home," he said. "Some of my friends are coming and they haven't seen me throw in college yet so it's great to have it at home and it's great to have a home crowd and be on your home turf, so I'm really excited for it.

"My goals are to do as well as I can – just keep improving on my marks and let everything fall into place. Listening to my coach and trusting him is going to help me just get to where I need to be. I really do like his training and what he does for us, and I really feel like he puts us in a great spot to do our best at those meets."

A couple of UNH long distance runners have also etched their names into the school record books.

Grad student Aidan Shea (Amherst, Mass.) has had his eyes on the men's indoor mile record since February 2024, when he ran in the race that close friend and teammate Aidan O'Hern broke a 34-year-old record at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational.

"One of the main things that I wanted to do when I returned was to get a school record, and so that one (indoor mile) was on my bucket list because it was an event I always ran and I thought it was in reach," Shea said.

On Feb. 1, 2025 at the John Thomas Terrier Classic, Shea ran a personal-best 4:03.04 in the mile. The next meet on the schedule was the David Hemery Valentine Invitational and he knew that record truly was within reach.

Shea put himself in position through the first half of the race, then ran hard the last 800m with a very fast last lap to give him a negative split for the mile – his last 800m was faster than the first 800m.

"I didn't really have many thoughts going through my head with the last turn to go. I was just trying to be competitive, trying to hang on to the guys in front of me and outkick them," Shea explained.

He crossed the finish line in a time of 4:01.74 and immediately knew he broke the record – O'Hern's time of 4:02.38.

"It was a moment that I had never really experienced before in my life because I've never had a school record anywhere," Shea said. "To get it was really exciting. I went over to hug coach (Casey Carroll). My parents and my friends were there, so I went over to see them and they said 'I've never seen you smile this much.' It was just a moment of wow – lots of hard work has pushed me to this place so it just felt good."

"Aidan has just been such a wonderful asset to our program as a grad student this year," Magle-Haberek said. "He has just put in the work year after year and he worked hard this whole year – all summer doing the training, all fall doing the training really with the target on that meet. He was able to put together just a great race. He's definitely earned his right to be on that record board and i think he should do very well at outdoor conference as well."

The UNH outdoor 1,500m record is also within Shea's reach. He ran a personal-best 3:45.03 at the Virginia Challenge on April 18 and the benchmark established by Kevin Greene in 2015 is 3:44.66 – a difference of less than half a second.

His goal this weekend is to win an America East title, and he enters as the No. 1 seed.

"I'm going to try and go in and win my first conference title as an individual," Shea said. "My last conference meet's going to be at home so it would be really fun to just to go out on top. And then New England's is a good opportunity to go after the school record again – just run hard and see what happens."

Having the America East outdoor championship meet is a full-circle moment for Shea, who's first conference championship – cross country in 2021 – was also at UNH.

"It's really exciting. I think the energy is palpable within the team just to have that opportunity to be able to showcase what we can do at home in front of everybody," Shea said. "We want to continue to build on the success we've had individually and as a team, obviously with the women's cross country team winning America East in the fall and just trying to ride the highs that we have and do the best that we can."

The indoor season ended March 8. Twenty days later, Ruth White (Orono, Maine) – a freshman phenom for the 'Cats who was a three-time New England champion in high school cross country – became a record holder in the first meet of the outdoor season.

That wasn't the objective heading into the race.

"I just wanted to see what I could do," White said. "Coach (Alison) Duffy and I didn't really have a time. We started out to try and hold on with the girls that are leading and see what happens. I was surprised at the time I was able to run but pleasantly surprised and just happy that I had the opportunity to run the 10k. And I was happy with my time regardless of the record."

White completed 10,000m, which is 25 laps around the track, in a school-record time of 33 minutes, 27.57 seconds at the Black & Gold Invitational (at Bryant University). The previous record of 34:30.30 was set in 2011 by Erica Jesseman.

"Running a 10K early on as a freshman is obviously a challenge. Some athletes take a couple years to kind of get ready for that distance but Ruth was really willing to take it on," Magle-Haberek said. "At the moment she finished, it was actually the best time in the NCAA and broke the school record by over a minute, which is tremendous. We have a long history of great distance runners in this program but for Ruth to put together that great of a run was not surprising but just a tremendous accomplishment."

White has the fastest 10,000m time in America East this season and, based on recent history, her record-setting time is expected to be fast enough to qualify for the first round of NCAA nationals. But first, this weekend's conference championships.

"For the New Englands and conference I want to try and help the team because team points matter," White said. "So I want to place as high as I can and get as many points as possible. That will be the goal. I'm not as worried about the individual aspect of it or the time – just trying to score as many points as possible."

White also broke a facility record during the early part of the indoor season. On Jan. 18 at the Bates Invitational, she won the 5,000m in a time of 16:46.40 to mark the best time in the history of Merrill Gymnasium. That record was a bit surprising too.

"This was actually my first time running indoor track. I always skied in high school," White explained. "This year I've just really enjoyed running with the team. Everyone's been so supportive."

Success by one Wildcat is celebrated by all.

"We're very tight knit, we're very good family there, we're all really good friends with each other, we all get along very well and I'm very happy to be on this team with them," Abaka-Amuah said. "I can see at meets we're always all cheering each other on and practice we're always all cheering each other on and I feel like our team culture is very tight and everybody really wants everyone else do well."

That starts with the coaching staff, which includes Casey Carroll, Cullen Aubin and Alison Duffy.

"Our staff is tremendous. We're a small staff with four coaches to about 90 student-athletes and we just have a very, very talented staff," Magle-Haberek stated. "One of my goals is to have a well-rounded program. I don't want to be just a distance school or just a throws school.

"We are a collaborative coaching program. We all work with all of our athletes although we have our kind of areas we specialize in. Coach Duffy has obviously done a wonderful job with our women's distance. She's new this year but we have a conference championship in women's cross country. Coach Caroll's been here for 25 years and he has coached every single event during that time. And coach Cullen as our throws and vaults coach is doing just a wonderful job and his results speak for themselves."

Five of the eight record-breaking 'Cats are freshmen. The future is bright for the UNH women's and men's track & field teams. And, as the school records indicate, the future is also right now.

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