COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – Morgan Cope established a new program record in the pole vault and Brittany Gasser did the mid-distance double as part of a terrific spring opener for the Ursinus College women's track and field team.
Cope added the school's outdoor pile vault standard to the indoor one already in her possession, while Gasser made her outdoor track debut one to remember with first-place runs in both the 800 and 1500.
Cope unlocked a new school standard in her first outdoor action of the season, clearing 10-6.75 to win the pole vault by over a foot. Cope's historic effort eclipsed Amy Schaefer's 2012 record by an inch and three quarters.
Gasser impressed in her outdoor introduction, claiming top honors in the 1500-meter run with a clocking of 5:06.79. The senior is competing in outdoor track and field for the first time in her career, having spent the past three seasons with the softball team. Classmate Riley Engel came in third at 5:16.10.
Gasser made it a double with a win in the 800, where her mark of 2:30.56 was almost three seconds clear of the runner-up. Engel was fifth with a 2:36.69.
Gasser also joined rookies Tori Bearden, Jamie Mayer, and Rosie Cuomo to place third in the 4x400-meter relay (4:30.02).
Senior Caroline Buckley was runner-up in the triple jump with a top mark of 34-3.50, finishing behind only Middlesex CC's Katy Pacheco (35-3.75). Freshman Tori Bearden finished tied for 10th with a 31-3.25.
Buckley also wound up sixth in the long jump at 15-11.00.
Junior Sophia Simoes landed in third in the shot put, tossing a 33-11.50 to open her spring throwing campaign. She was also fourth in the discus (98-9.00) and eighth in the hammer (100-5.00).
Cuomo turned in a time of 16.46 to finish fourth in the 100-meter hurdles.
Freshman Neve Durrwachter was fourth in her javelin debut, picking up a mark of 94 feet, 5 inches.
Sophomore Gianna Speranza tied for fifth in the high jump, clearing 4 feet, 9 inches to fall two inches shy of her personal best.