The track and field team competed in its final meet before the Patriot League indoor championships on Friday at the Bucknell Tuneup.
While several athletes chose not to race, including in-form senior Nava Chevan, several Leopards posted all-time top 10 performances and personal bests.
Junior Carolina McCloskey led the way for the Leopards, winning the 3,000-meter with a time of 10:34.95.
Both senior Angel Awono and sophomore John Liedtka both had top-five finishes in the 60-meter hurdles. Awono clinched the No. 5 spot on the all-time top 10 list with a time of 9.00 and a fourth-place finish, and Liedtka finished in third with a time of 8.42.
Liedtka set a new personal record of 8.28 at the dual meet with Lehigh University earlier in February.
“I think what made me run the fastest time of the year is really just the pressure when it all comes down to those tense moments — I think that’s where I’ve ran the best,” Liedtka said. “Going into the Patriot League meet, I’m optimistic that I’m gonna have another big PR because that’s how it was in the dual meet.”
Junior Roman Conca reeled in a sixth-place finish in the 60-meter and fourth out of 32 runners in the 200 with a time of 22.56.
In the field, senior thrower Erin O’Leary set a new personal record at 15.82 meters in the weight throw and secured the seventh spot on the all-time top 10 list. O’Leary said she struggled with the weight throw early in the indoor season but changed her cues after a meeting with her coach.
“I feel like I didn’t waste this season because I think it was very helpful,” O’Leary said. “I would rather hit a rut now during indoor than outdoor. I think it was helpful to get me out of that.”
O’Leary said that she is looking to hit 16 meters at the Patriot League championships but thinks she can go further.
“To be honest, I think I could hit 17 if I had a crazy throw,” O’Leary said.
Pole vaulters junior Benjamin Hill and senior Jack Lynett placed third and fourth, respectively.
This will be Liedtka’s first Patriot League championship, which he said he’s excited for.
“I just need to, before I race, envision what I need to do,” Liedtka said. “Envision going over each hurdle, going over cleanly, having a good start to the first hurdle. That’s really the most important part of the race.”
