PHILADELPHIA – The 130th Annual Penn Relays kicked off on Thursday, April 23, at Franklin Field. Members of Villanova men’s and women’s teams competed in individual events on Day 1.
The Sullivans had quite a standout performance in the 10K race. Junior CJ Sullivan finished in second place in 29:20.65, setting a new personal best by 27 seconds.
Junior Nick Sullivan also had a personal best in the 10K, running a 30.25.48 to beat his previous best by over a minute.
Sophomore Jack Fenlon made his Penn Relays debut by claiming fifth overall in the men’s 1,500-meter. Fenlon crossed the finish line at 3:42.52 and shaved two seconds off the personal best he set two weeks ago at the Sam Howell Invitational.
“I was in the second heat yesterday, so I got bumped up this morning,” Fenlon said. “I kinda didn’t expect to maybe be fifth or so, but it’s pretty good to be able to mix it at the front.”
Fifth-year Devon Comber ran 3:44.31, finishing in twelfth place.
Just seven hundredths of a second from her personal best in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, junior Olivia Allen placed fifth in 58.08. Allen finished second in her heat and shaved over a second off her time from last year’s relays.
“I definitely feel stronger mentally and physically,” Allen said. “I think it’s definitely daunting as a freshman to come here, but being able to be here and kind of represent Villanova from a freshman to now a junior feels really good.”
Fifth-year Margaret Carroll ran a 5K personal best of 15:54.86, which was nearly seven seconds faster than the prior one. Carroll ran the same event at Franklin Field two years prior and has improved her time by nearly 50 seconds.
“You really have to stay relaxed during the longer events,” Carroll said. “Knowing that kind of confidence in your ability to keep pace and be able to pick up at the end and race well.”
Freshman Zoe Mosher finished at 16:46.58 in the same event.
Fifth-year Matthew Bogdan ran a personal best of 8:49.58, placing tenth overall in the 3K steeplechase. Bogdan shaved nearly four seconds off his previous personal best from last year’s Penn Relays and now sits at No. 7 in program history.
In the women’s 1,500-meter, fifth-year Nikki Vanasse ran 4:16.72 to claim tenth place. Freshman Sophia McInnes made her Penn Relays debut in the 1,500-meter, running a 4:28.86.
A trio of freshmen competed in the preliminary heats of the women’s hammer throw. Leading the way for the ‘Cats was Jess Bentum at 48.62 meters. Jane Carey and Kiera Christensen threw for 43.78 meters and 40.41 meters, respectively.
Freshman Theo Hedgemon recorded a personal best of 51.75 meters in the men’s hammer throw, while fifth- year Tristan Bolinsky threw for 55.11 meters.
Villanova will return to Franklin Field on Friday for Day 2 of the Penn Relays. Competition will start with Bolinsky in the discus at noon and the women’s Distance Medley Relay (DMR) starting at 2:25 p.m., followed directly by the men’s. The men look to reclaim the DMR wheel after finishing fifth last year, snapping an eight-year consecutive win streak.
