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Johannesdottir Leads Owls at Day Two of AACs
5/16/2025 10:26:00 PM | Women's Track & Field
CHARLOTTE – The Rice women's track and field team continued their strong showing in Charlotte during the second day of competition at the AAC Outdoor Championships. Rice is currently fourth after Friday's competition.
Julia Johannesdottir earned a trip to the podium after finishing the heptathlon in third place to cap off her freshman campaign. Alice Taylor also grabbed a point with an eighth-place finish.
Saniya Friendly used a personal best time of 11.52s to finishing second in the 100m prelims, advancing to tomorrow's finals. Riana Green also used a personal best time of 53.32s in the 400m to earn a spot in the finals.
Cullen Merrell also had a tremendous race in her sophomore season, advancing to the finals in the 800m.
Over in the shot put, Morgan Fey moved from eighth to sixth on her final throw with a distance of 13.89m.
Molly Humes closed the women's competition for the night with a personal best time of 10:55.12 in the steeplechase to finish eighth.
THURSDAY'S RECAP
Mckyla Van der Westhuizen highlighted the day by defending her conference title in a dominant way, breaking the stadium record with a throw of 54.85m en route to her second consecutive conference crown.
Daphne Mayer closed the night with a bang, finishing second in the 10000m as a freshman, in just her second-ever race for the event. Alex Gobran also made her outdoor season debut by grabbing points in the event with a sixth-place finish.
Saniya Friendly used a personal best time of 23.64s in the 200m to advance to the finals, while Heidi Nielson, Amelie Attenborough and Niamh Collins all earned spots in the 1500m finals.
Post Meet Reaction - Head Coach Jim Bevan
"We started the day on a great note with freshman Julia Johannesdottir finishing third in a highly contested heptathlon. Alice Taylor also finished eighth with a tremendous 2:17 pb at the end of the heptathlon in the 800m. Continuing on to sophomore Cullen Merrell, who made the finals in the 800m. Riana Green also ran a big personal best in the 400m by .6 of a second, most likely earning her a spot at the prelims, and advancing to the finals. Morgan finished sixth to close her Rice shot put career, with an outstanding effort on her last throw. Saniya Friendly had the second fastest time in the 100m, a big pb for her and moving from seeded eighth to second. We closed up shop with Molly Humes scoring in the steeplechase, she ran a big personal best and I am so proud of her. Looking forward to tomorrow with all of the representation in all the flat events on the track, as well as the discus, high jump and triple jump."
RESULTS (Top finishers)
100m
2. Saniya Friendly – 11.52 (advances)
400m
6. Riana Green – 53.32 (advances)
800m
7. Cullen Merrell – 2:11.50 (advances)
3000m Steeplechase
8. Molly Humes – 10:55.12 (+1)
Shot Put
6. Morgan Fey – 13.89m
Heptathlon
3. Julia Johannesdottir – 5283 points (+6)
8. Alice Taylor – 5124 (+1)
THURSDAY'S RESULTS
200m
4. Saniya Friendly – 23.64m (advances)
1500m
3. Heidi Nielson – 4:30.97 (advances)
10. Amelie Attenborough – 4:35.72 (advances)
11. Niamh Collins – 4:36.99 (advances)
10000m
2. Daphne Mayer – 35:05.67 (+8)
6. Alex Gobran – 35:38.45 (+3)
Javelin
1. Mckyla Van der Westhuizen – 54.85m (+10)
TEAM SCORES
1. Charlotte – 58
2. Wichita State – 41
3. UTSA – 39
4. Rice – 32
5. Tulane – 31
6. Memphis – 24
7. South Florida – 22
8. North Texas – 16
8. East Carolina – 16
10. Florida Atlantic – 13
11. Tulsa – 10
12. UAB – 9
13. Temple – 1
UP NEXT
The AAC Championships come to a close tomorrow evening.
Julia Johannesdottir earned a trip to the podium after finishing the heptathlon in third place to cap off her freshman campaign. Alice Taylor also grabbed a point with an eighth-place finish.
Saniya Friendly used a personal best time of 11.52s to finishing second in the 100m prelims, advancing to tomorrow's finals. Riana Green also used a personal best time of 53.32s in the 400m to earn a spot in the finals.
Cullen Merrell also had a tremendous race in her sophomore season, advancing to the finals in the 800m.
Over in the shot put, Morgan Fey moved from eighth to sixth on her final throw with a distance of 13.89m.
Molly Humes closed the women's competition for the night with a personal best time of 10:55.12 in the steeplechase to finish eighth.
THURSDAY'S RECAP
Mckyla Van der Westhuizen highlighted the day by defending her conference title in a dominant way, breaking the stadium record with a throw of 54.85m en route to her second consecutive conference crown.
Daphne Mayer closed the night with a bang, finishing second in the 10000m as a freshman, in just her second-ever race for the event. Alex Gobran also made her outdoor season debut by grabbing points in the event with a sixth-place finish.
Saniya Friendly used a personal best time of 23.64s in the 200m to advance to the finals, while Heidi Nielson, Amelie Attenborough and Niamh Collins all earned spots in the 1500m finals.
"We started the day on a great note with freshman Julia Johannesdottir finishing third in a highly contested heptathlon. Alice Taylor also finished eighth with a tremendous 2:17 pb at the end of the heptathlon in the 800m. Continuing on to sophomore Cullen Merrell, who made the finals in the 800m. Riana Green also ran a big personal best in the 400m by .6 of a second, most likely earning her a spot at the prelims, and advancing to the finals. Morgan finished sixth to close her Rice shot put career, with an outstanding effort on her last throw. Saniya Friendly had the second fastest time in the 100m, a big pb for her and moving from seeded eighth to second. We closed up shop with Molly Humes scoring in the steeplechase, she ran a big personal best and I am so proud of her. Looking forward to tomorrow with all of the representation in all the flat events on the track, as well as the discus, high jump and triple jump."
100m
2. Saniya Friendly – 11.52 (advances)
400m
6. Riana Green – 53.32 (advances)
800m
7. Cullen Merrell – 2:11.50 (advances)
3000m Steeplechase
8. Molly Humes – 10:55.12 (+1)
Shot Put
6. Morgan Fey – 13.89m
Heptathlon
3. Julia Johannesdottir – 5283 points (+6)
8. Alice Taylor – 5124 (+1)
THURSDAY'S RESULTS
200m
4. Saniya Friendly – 23.64m (advances)
1500m
3. Heidi Nielson – 4:30.97 (advances)
10. Amelie Attenborough – 4:35.72 (advances)
11. Niamh Collins – 4:36.99 (advances)
10000m
2. Daphne Mayer – 35:05.67 (+8)
6. Alex Gobran – 35:38.45 (+3)
Javelin
1. Mckyla Van der Westhuizen – 54.85m (+10)
1. Charlotte – 58
2. Wichita State – 41
3. UTSA – 39
4. Rice – 32
5. Tulane – 31
6. Memphis – 24
7. South Florida – 22
8. North Texas – 16
8. East Carolina – 16
10. Florida Atlantic – 13
11. Tulsa – 10
12. UAB – 9
13. Temple – 1
The AAC Championships come to a close tomorrow evening.
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps/Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
Javelin
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