ROCHESTER, NY – The Alfred University women's track & field team took advantage of the nice weather and kicked off its outdoor season on Thursday at the Roberts Wesleyan College's Redhawk Invitational.

"We were all excited to get outside this early in the outdoor season," Head Coach Dr. Angie Taylor said. "We didn't have our full team on Thursday as many of our athletes had class but we were pleased to see the results that we had from the group that competed. Everyone competed really hard."

Madison Palmer (East Aurora, NY/East Aurora) had the top finish as she was the highest-placing collegiate athlete in the shot put, taking first amongst like throwers and second to an unattached thrower. Palmer threw 11.33m on her fourth attempt. She also finished fifth in the javelin with a throw of 17.84m also on her fourth attempt. Mackenzie Grosskopf (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara-Wheatfield) also threw the javelin with a throw of 12.96m to take ninth.

Bianca Durso (Utica, NY/New Hartford Senior) took second in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 18.29. Anne Spila (Mechanicsburg, PA/Trinity) had her first collegiate track meet on Thursday, coming off a successful basketball season as she followed Durso in the 100-hurdles with a time of 19.76 to take fifth place. The pair teamed up in the high jump as Durso took second with a height of 1.45m and Spila tying for third with a height of 1.40m.

Ashley Page (Wayland, NY/Wayland-Cohocton) also earned a second place finish on the day as she ran a 1:12.44 in the 400-meter hurdles. Olivia Chamberlin (Holland, NY/Holland) and Kathleen Matthies (Lockport, NY/Lockport) rounded out the meet with a third and fourth place finish in the long jump. Chamberlin reached 4.26m on her first attempt and Matthies hit a new collegiate PR on her fourth attempt, vaulting to a 3.30m finish.

The Saxons will next compete at SUNY Geneseo on Saturday, April 2.