HOUGHTON, NY – The Alfred University women's track & field team competed at the Houghton Highlander Invitational on Saturday.
 
"Our goal was to see where each athlete's fitness level was today," Head Coach Matt Phillips '10 said. "We had a much needed break at the end of last semester. We've been back for two weeks and are still at the beginning in terms of our training block and where we are trying to get these athletes to by the end of indoor. We got to see a lot of good things today and will now draw up our plans for the next several weeks. I'm very excited for what's to come. This is a young squad with a ton of potential."
 
The Saxons had two athletes take home fifth place finishes, one on the track and one in the field. Vladyslava Makarenko (Berdychiv, Ukraine/Lyceum 23) ran an 11:47.51 in the 3,000-meter run for her fifth place finish. Natalya Ryckman (New Eagle, PA/Ringgold) threw a personal best in the shot put to earn fifth place, tossing the implement 10.23m (33'-6.75"). Ryckman also threw 12.46m (40'-10.5") in the weight throw to place seventh.
 
Nyah Allen (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) also had a seventh place finish on the day. She ran a 2:41.96 in the 800-meter run.
 
Zoe Rainville (Saranac, NY/Saranac) rounded out the Top-10 finishers for Alfred University as she placed 10^th in the 200-meter dash with a time of 28.44.
 
The Saxons will next take a trip for a two-day meet at Youngstown State University on Friday, January 30 and Saturday, January 31.