Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Ivy League Heptagonal Championships
Women's Track & Field Places Second at Ivy Heps
February 25, 2024 | Women's Track and Field
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The Princeton women's track and field team showcased their prowess at this year's Ivy Indoor Heps, securing a commendable second-place finish with a total of 134 points. Led by stellar performances across various events, Princeton emerged as a dominant force, clinching four individual Ivy championships, one relay championship, and four school records.
Day One
In the field, Tessa Mudd finished first place in the pole vault and reclaimed her Ivy League Record with a PR jump of 4.39m (14'4.25). Two weeks prior to the indoor championship meet, Anastasia Retsa of Harvard took the indoor Ivy record from Mudd. On her final attempt, Mudd had to clear this bar to win the competition, and in doing so, she took back the Ivy record and qualified for the NCAA championship. This mark ranks the sophomore at 13th in the nation and won her the most outstanding field performer of the meet. Tessa was followed by teammate SJ Cohen, who finished with a college best jump of 4.00m (13'1.5) to take 5th place. Cohen is now tied for fifth all-time in the Princeton record books. The two added 12 points to Princeton's total.
In the weight throw, Angela McAuslan-Kelly finished second with her best throw of 19.17 (62'10.75) coming from her final attempt. She was followed closely by senior Annika Kelly, who threw a season-best of 18.92 (62'1) to finish third. The two combined for a total of 14 points.
In the final field event of the day, the dynamic duo of Georgina Scoot and Alex Kelly finished 1-2 in the long jump. The sophomore's quickly claimed their 1-2 positioning after their second attempts. Scoot remained in first place for the remainder of the competition and won the event with a jump of 6.28m (20'7.25). Kelly was knocked to third after the 5th round, but leapt to a PR of 6.23m (20'5.25) to reclaim her positioning and secure the 1-2 finish. The duo secured a massive 18 points for the team.
On the track, the Tigers began day one with the goal of advancing as many athletes as possible to the finals. The first woman to do so was Julia Jongejeugd in the 60m hurdles. The sophomore, attempting the heptathlon-60m hurdles double, qualified for the finals with a time of 8.68 seconds, just 15 minutes after the pentathlon 60m hurdles. Jongejeugd continued her day in the pentathlon with a college best in the high jump of 1.66m (5'5.25) and a PR in the shot put of 12.60m (41'4.25) to take second place overall and earn 8 points for the Tigers. She set a pentathlon PR with her overall point total of 3899.
Next on the track in the mile run, senior captain Margaret Liebich took control of her heat, led nearly the entire race, and finished first to qualify for the mile final on Sunday.
Brianna Mponzi was next to secure her place in the finals by finishing second in her section of the 60m dash, breaking her own school record of 7.55 seconds with her 7.52 second race.
In the first preliminary heat of the 400m, sophomore Maisha Atkinson led her race from start to finish to win the section. Her time of 56.31 seconds was the 6th fastest finals qualifier.
The Tigers saw two women qualify for the finals in the 800m, freshman Hannah Riggins and senior Charlotte O'Toole, Charlotte with a season best performance of 2:11.67.
Mena Scatchard, the lone tiger in the 1000m, comfortably secured her place in the final with her second-place performance.
To end preliminary competition, Adelaide Asante qualified for the finals in the 200m dash with a season best time of 24.71.
Day one saw the Tigers set one Ivy League record (pole vault), break two school records (60m and pole vault), advance eight women to the finals of their track events, and claim two individual Ivy League Champions (Tessa Mudd and Georgie Scoot).
Day Two
The Tigers enter day two leading University of Pennsylvania (who would go on to win the meet) 52 points to seven. The strength of the Princeton field events on day one gave the Tigers this early advantage, but it was expected that most of Penn's points would come from the running event finals on day two. The Tigers went in to day two knowing that every point would matter and the meet would likely come down to the three relays at the conclusion of the meet.
In the first event of the day, Siniru Iheoma finished second in the shot put with a throw of 15.13m (49'7.75).
Princeton: 60 Penn: 9
Margaret Liebich was the first Tiger to score on the track. She secured a third place finish in the mile with a time of 4:40.24.
Princeton: 66 Penn: 17
Staying focused after two athletes in the heat were disqualified for false starts, the sophomore pentathlete Julia Jongejeugd ran to a fourth place finish in the open 60m hurdles with a time of 8.69 seconds. Jongejeugd claimed her second medal of the weekend after the pentathlon on day one.
Princeton: 70 Penn: 27
In the triple jump, Georgina Scoot once again impressed, clinching first place with her new personal best mark of 13.03m (42'9). She was followed closely by teammate Alex Kelly who finished second with a jump of 12.93m (42'5.25). The two combined for another 18 points, bringing their combined total to an outstanding 36 points for the team.
Princeton: 88 Penn: 28
Back to the track, sophomore Maisha Atkinson just missed medaling in the 400m final with her 7th place finish and time of 56.92 seconds.
Princeton: 88 Penn: 52
Senior Brianna Mponzi placed fourth in the 60m dash in school record fashion. This time, Mponzi brought the school record down to 7.46 seconds.
Princeton: 92 Penn: 76
The California freshman, Hannah Riggins, competing in her first indoor season, placed third in the 800m run with a new lifetime best of 2:06.27. This moves the freshman to third all-time in the Princeton record books.
Princeton: 98 Penn: 84
Mena Scatchard dominated the 1000m event, claiming first place with a new school record and meet record time of 2:43.23. The junior broke the former school record of 2:45.54 by over two seconds.
Princeton: 108 Penn: 84
In the last individual event, junior Adelaide Asante just missed medaling in the 200m final with her 7th place finish and PR time of 24.57 seconds.
For the first time of the weekend, Penn took the lead. Princeton: 108 Penn: 114
In the final field event of the day, junior high jumper Madeleine Wood cleared a height of 1.72m (5'7.75) to finish third.
Princeton: 114 Penn: 120
The relay events also saw outstanding performances from Princeton. The first relay on the track, the DMR composed of Margaret Liebich, Stella Vieth, Katelyn Maley, and Tsion Yared, earned second place.
The quartet brought the score back to a tie. Princeton: 122 Penn: 122
In a standout performance, the Princeton team of Olivia Martin, Maddie Cramer, Hannah Riggins, and Mena Scatchard dominated the 4x800m relay with their first place finish and bettered the Ivy League record with their time of 8:40.51. The previous record of 8:41.15 was set by the 2013 Princeton relay at Indoor Heps.
In Ivy League record fashion, the relay team earns back the lead for the Tigers. Princeton: 132 Penn: 130
The Tigers need to win the 4x400m relay to claim the championship, or finish directly behind Penn to tie.
In the final event of the day, the 4x400m relay of Adelaide Asante, India Ingemi, Maisha Atkinson, and Brianna Mponzi placed 5th with a time of 3:45.54. This places that relay third all-time in the Princeton record books when converted from 4x440 yards to 4x400 meters. Penn places first and their 10 points secure them the team championship and the Tigers fall to second.
Princeton: 134 Penn: 140
"We have a very special team this year and they showed it at the indoor championships," said head coach Michelle Eisenreich. "We continued to make history with two Ivy records and one Ivy League indoor championships record. While we had many inspiring individual efforts, I am most proud of the way the entire team fought until the very end. While coming up short of the championship by just 6 points is disappointing, we are excited to get stronger from what we learned and be in an even better position to win outdoors."
Day two saw the breaking of another Ivy League record (4x800m), three more school records (60m, 1000m, 4x800m), two Tigers earn Ivy League individual champions (Georgie Scoot and Mena Scatchard), and an Ivy League relay champion (4x800m).
Tessa Mudd, currently ranked 13th in the country, will represent the Tigers at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Boston, MA March 8-9.
Players Mentioned
