This season has been a time of learning for much of ‘Nova’s women’s track and field squad, which consists mostly of underclassmen.

The women enter each competition hoping to gain more experience for the bigger meets, and the Miami Invitational April 13 was no exception.

“We were just looking to perform well and just gain experience because a lot of us are young,” freshman Holly Cosnett explained.

While Villanova did not do as well as it had hoped last Saturday in Coral Gables, Fla., several runners had impressive performances.

Colleen Taylor ran a personal best in the 1,500m run finishing third in 4:35.01.

Elite runners captured the first and second place finishes in the event giving the top collegiate crown to Taylor.

Taylor’s time also qualified her for the Big East Championships several weeks away.

Other notable performances at the meet came from sophomore Rebecca Mitchell and Cosnett in the 800m run.

Mitchell took second place with an outstanding run clocked at 2:09.76, while Cosnett came in right behind her teammate, taking third in 2:13.25.

“I wanted to better my time and run hard,” Cosnett said of her goals coming into the meet. “I didn’t better my time, but I did run a hard race.”

Senior Sherise Price also ran well in the 100m hurdles finishing fifth in the finals, but only third among collegiate competition in 13.87.

‘Nova earned another fifth place finish in the 400m hurdles with sophomore Melanie Rhoden’s performance in 1:03.92.

Moving to the field, Melinda Boykin had her day in the sun she was hoping for, finishing third in two events and sixth in another.

Boykin took third in the discus throw with a distance of 44.78m and again in the hammer throw measuring a 52.50m mark.

The senior’s sixth place finish came in the shot put where she measured 12.52m.

Freshman Jamie Stiger also did well in the throwing events, earning a sixth place finish in the javelin throw with a mark of 36.78m.

Rounding out the competition for the ‘Cats was newcomer Michelle Ezzie who continued to show her strength in the pole vault going for a height of 3.40m to capture third.

Next up for the ‘Cats is the Widener Invitational tomorrow in Chester, Pa., where several of the women will have their last chance to qualify for the Big East Championships at the beginning of May.

One lone freshman, standout distance runner Kalin Toedebusch, traveled to California with several of the men’s runners to compete tomorrow in the 1,500m run at the Mount Zach Invitational. The women will then regroup for the Penn Relays held across town at Franklin Field April 26-27.

Until then, the women are concentrating on improvement as the intense part of the season begins.

“The meets that really count have yet to come, but the ones we have had are stepping stones to what we are looking to do at Big East,” Cosnett said. “Hopefully it will all come together when it counts.”