From Carnegie Mellon University Athletics
The Carnegie Mellon University women's track and field team opened the indoor season at the SPIRE Carnegie Mellon University Invitational on Saturday, January 21 at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. The Tartans won the 12-team event of Division III schools with 111 points. The University of Rochester was second with 82 points while Calvin College finished third with 73 points.
Freshman Michelle Karabin (Ruffs Dale, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) placed second in the pole vault, clearing 3.52 meters to record a new school record. The previous record was held by senior Grace Yee (San Francisco, Calif./Lick-Wilmerding) at 3.20 meters. Yee also bettered that mark, clearing 3.37 meters, to place third Saturday.
The Tartans took first and second place in the 800-meter run when sophomore Rose Ciriello (Madison, N.J./Madison) crossed the finish line first in 2:22.26 and freshman Kate Reilly (Scranton, Pa./Scranton Prep) crossed second in 2:26.17.
Senior Sarah Cook (Pittsburgh, Pa./Hampton) earned a second-place finish in the 400-meter dash in 59.06 seconds and a fifth-place finish in the 200-meter dash in 27.11.
Junior Jerilyn James (Friendswood, Texas/Clear Brook) placed fifth in the 60-meter dash, sprinting to the finish line in 8.36 seconds.
Sophomore Aparna Alavilli (Hanover, N.H./Hanover) ran the mile race in 5:30.79 to place fifth.
The 4x400-meter relay team of sophomore Debarati Bhanja (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany), senior Ariel Tian (Acton, Mass./Acton Boxborough Regional), Ciriello, and Cook took third in a time of 4:15.21.
Sophomore Autumn Hair (Blue Bell, Pa./Wissahickon) won the triple jump with a mark of 10.00 meters, as sophomore Tessa Allen (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Bishop Montgomery) was second with a mark of 9.74 meters.
In the long jump, Bhanja placed third with a mark of 4.86 meters with Hair leaping 4.82 meters to place fourth.
Senior Rebecca Fortner (Navarre, Ohio/Fairless) and Allen each cleared 1.48 meters in the high jump to tie for third place.