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Friday, February 23
Birmingham, Ala.
Rice University
vs
AAC Championships
Rice Claims Five Event Titles, Finishes Second at AAC Indoors
2/24/2024 9:48:00 PM | Women's Track & Field
BIRMINGHAM – The Rice women's track and field team closed out a great conference debut at the AAC Indoor Championships, claiming second place at the meet. The Owls held a slim lead going into the final event, but Charlotte ultimately came out on top for the team title.
Taigen Hunter-Galvan had a spectacular day, winning both the Mile and 800m event titles. She also broke the school record and meet record in the 800m. Teammate Amelie Attenborough was right behind in the mile, as the Owls went 1-2 in the event. Hunter-Galvan scored the most point by anyone on the track with 22 points and the second most points overall.
Kennedy Gamble grabbed points in two events, with a third-place finish in the 60m, while also finishing eighth in the 200m. Saniya Friendly also added points in the 60m, finishing seventh.
Ginnie Okafor set a new personal best in the triple jump, while also claiming the event title. Savannah Simms also had a personal best in the event, finishing third.
The duo of Josie Taylor and Alice Taylor finished second and third, respectively, in the high jump, while Eliza Kraule finished fifth.
Throughout the meet, Rice set 21 season bests and 14 personal bests. The Owls finished with 11 podium visits, five event titles, three conference meet records and two school records.
Post Meet Reaction - Head Coach Jim Bevan
"I thought we had an outstanding team performance with 21 season bests and 14 personal best over the two days. Most coaches thought 100 points would win the meet, we scored 105, way better than projected, but were just beaten by a better team today. I thought we competed at a high level. Eliza is now ranked number three in the pentathlon, breaking her own school record and the conference meet record yesterday, and then scoring again in the high jump today. Taigen had a tremendous meet, winning both the Mile and 800m, and scoring in the 4x400m Relay. Tara [Simpson-Sullivan] winning her fourth weight throw title, an amazing competitor. Ginnie had an amazing jump, a personal best, to claim the triple jump with Savannah right behind her for third, also with a personal best jump. We had outstanding performances from Kennedy Gamble, scoring in two events and earning the bronze in the 60m. Saniya Friendly came out of nowhere in the 60m, seeded 17th and finished seventh, just an outstanding job by her. Amelie seeded 8th but places second, while also running a leg of the DMR, so she's a double medalist as a sophomore. The jumpers, Alice and Josie, our identical twins, went second and third and were joined by Eliza in fifth. Alice was sixth in the pent yesterday and comes back to go fourth in the high jump. Elena Siemens is really starting to get in the groove and I'm so proud watching her, scoring fifth in pole vault. DMR yesterday with a spectacular finish last night to get us is a good spot to compete today. Our 4x400m time was the best we have run in several years. We really performed well at the meet. I am really proud of the group. We think we have two going to national, Eliza and Tara. This is great group for outdoors so we will regroup and see what we can do in San Antonio in two and a half months."
RESULTS (Top Finishers)
60m
3. Kennedy Gamble – 7.39s
7. Saniya Friendly – 7.54s – Personal Best
200m
8. Gamble – 24.29s
800m
1. Hunter-Galvan – 2:04.17 – School Record – AAC Meet Record
Mile
1. Hunter-Galvan – 4:48.55 – Personal Best
2. Amelie Attenborough – 4:51.19 – Personal Best
4x400m Relay
7. Green, Mickles, Hunter-Galvan, S. Simms – 3:43.33 – Season Best
High Jump
2. Josie Taylor – 1.78m (5-10.00)
3. Alice Taylor – 1.78m (5-10.00) – Personal Best
5. Eliza Kraule – 1.69m (5-06.50)
Triple Jump
1. Okafor – 12.92m (42-04.75) – Personal Best
3. S. Simms – 12.81m (42-00.50) – Personal Best
FRIDAY RESULTS
DMR
3. Alisa Meraz-Fishbein, Arayna Mickles, Ava White, Amelie Attenborough – 11:39.54
Weight Throw
1. Tara Simpson-Sullivan – 21.14m (69-04.25)
Pole Vault
5. Elena Siemens – 3.83m (12-06.75)
Pentathlon
1. Eliza Kraule – 4335 points – School Record / Meet Record
6. Alice Taylor – 3612 points
Pentathlon Long Jump
Kraule – 6.26m – Meet Record
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Charlotte – 107
2. Rice – 105
3. South Florida – 75
4. Tulsa – 57
5. Wichita State – 48.5
6. SMU – 48
7. East Carolina – 47
8. Tulane – 44
9. North Texas– 35
10. Memphis – 34
11. UTSA – 31
12. Temple – 21.5
13. Florida Atlantic – 8
14. UAB - 2
UP NEXT
The Owls will be back in action at the NCAA Championships on March 8-9. Top 16 event finishers qualify for the meet.
Taigen Hunter-Galvan had a spectacular day, winning both the Mile and 800m event titles. She also broke the school record and meet record in the 800m. Teammate Amelie Attenborough was right behind in the mile, as the Owls went 1-2 in the event. Hunter-Galvan scored the most point by anyone on the track with 22 points and the second most points overall.
Kennedy Gamble grabbed points in two events, with a third-place finish in the 60m, while also finishing eighth in the 200m. Saniya Friendly also added points in the 60m, finishing seventh.
Ginnie Okafor set a new personal best in the triple jump, while also claiming the event title. Savannah Simms also had a personal best in the event, finishing third.
The duo of Josie Taylor and Alice Taylor finished second and third, respectively, in the high jump, while Eliza Kraule finished fifth.
Throughout the meet, Rice set 21 season bests and 14 personal bests. The Owls finished with 11 podium visits, five event titles, three conference meet records and two school records.
"I thought we had an outstanding team performance with 21 season bests and 14 personal best over the two days. Most coaches thought 100 points would win the meet, we scored 105, way better than projected, but were just beaten by a better team today. I thought we competed at a high level. Eliza is now ranked number three in the pentathlon, breaking her own school record and the conference meet record yesterday, and then scoring again in the high jump today. Taigen had a tremendous meet, winning both the Mile and 800m, and scoring in the 4x400m Relay. Tara [Simpson-Sullivan] winning her fourth weight throw title, an amazing competitor. Ginnie had an amazing jump, a personal best, to claim the triple jump with Savannah right behind her for third, also with a personal best jump. We had outstanding performances from Kennedy Gamble, scoring in two events and earning the bronze in the 60m. Saniya Friendly came out of nowhere in the 60m, seeded 17th and finished seventh, just an outstanding job by her. Amelie seeded 8th but places second, while also running a leg of the DMR, so she's a double medalist as a sophomore. The jumpers, Alice and Josie, our identical twins, went second and third and were joined by Eliza in fifth. Alice was sixth in the pent yesterday and comes back to go fourth in the high jump. Elena Siemens is really starting to get in the groove and I'm so proud watching her, scoring fifth in pole vault. DMR yesterday with a spectacular finish last night to get us is a good spot to compete today. Our 4x400m time was the best we have run in several years. We really performed well at the meet. I am really proud of the group. We think we have two going to national, Eliza and Tara. This is great group for outdoors so we will regroup and see what we can do in San Antonio in two and a half months."
60m
3. Kennedy Gamble – 7.39s
7. Saniya Friendly – 7.54s – Personal Best
200m
8. Gamble – 24.29s
800m
1. Hunter-Galvan – 2:04.17 – School Record – AAC Meet Record
Mile
1. Hunter-Galvan – 4:48.55 – Personal Best
2. Amelie Attenborough – 4:51.19 – Personal Best
4x400m Relay
7. Green, Mickles, Hunter-Galvan, S. Simms – 3:43.33 – Season Best
High Jump
2. Josie Taylor – 1.78m (5-10.00)
3. Alice Taylor – 1.78m (5-10.00) – Personal Best
5. Eliza Kraule – 1.69m (5-06.50)
Triple Jump
1. Okafor – 12.92m (42-04.75) – Personal Best
3. S. Simms – 12.81m (42-00.50) – Personal Best
FRIDAY RESULTS
DMR
3. Alisa Meraz-Fishbein, Arayna Mickles, Ava White, Amelie Attenborough – 11:39.54
Weight Throw
1. Tara Simpson-Sullivan – 21.14m (69-04.25)
Pole Vault
5. Elena Siemens – 3.83m (12-06.75)
Pentathlon
1. Eliza Kraule – 4335 points – School Record / Meet Record
6. Alice Taylor – 3612 points
Pentathlon Long Jump
Kraule – 6.26m – Meet Record
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Charlotte – 107
2. Rice – 105
3. South Florida – 75
4. Tulsa – 57
5. Wichita State – 48.5
6. SMU – 48
7. East Carolina – 47
8. Tulane – 44
9. North Texas– 35
10. Memphis – 34
11. UTSA – 31
12. Temple – 21.5
13. Florida Atlantic – 8
14. UAB - 2
The Owls will be back in action at the NCAA Championships on March 8-9. Top 16 event finishers qualify for the meet.
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Mid-Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints/Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Pole Vault
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps/Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
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