North Carolina
Eagle Invite
Track And Field Wraps Up Record-Setting Weekend In Boston
February 11, 2024 | Track & Field
BOSTON - Carolina's track and field team delivered a strong performance across various events this weekend in Boston.
On Saturday, Alex Phillips ran the third-fastest 5K at the Valentine Invitational hosted by Boston University, while Jake Gebhardt became the fourth-fastest Tar Heel in the 3,000-meter race, wrapping up an action-packed The Eagle Invitational at Boston University.
On Friday at The Eagles Invitational, Ethan Strand achieved a remarkable feat by breaking a school record that had stood unbroken for 50 years. Strand's 3:54.62 mile time knocked off Tony Waldrop's mile record of 3:55, which was set in 1974. It is the seventh-best mile time of anyone in the country this season. His first-place finish in the mile was against some of the top distance runners in the country.
Makayla Paige was another highlight of the day, finishing second overall but first among college competitors in the women's 800-meter. She set a personal record and came within 0.07 seconds of the school record with a time of 2:03.92. Two weeks ago at the Penn State Invitational, she set her previous personal best of 2:04.03. Her performance displays her improvement and commitment to breaking the record this season.
Paul Signorelli led the Tar Heel field event participants, finishing third place in the men's pole vault. Blaise Atkinson and Aaliyah Berry both qualified for the hurdle finals despite losing their heats. Atkinson set a personal record of 8.00 seconds in his final run. The time ranks Atkinson 10th all-time among Tar Heels, while Aalyiah Berry's final time of 8.39 ranks her 9th among the women.
Ava Dobson and Fatima Alanis both set personal records in the women's 5,000-meter. Dobson finished fourth with a time of 15:56.55, smashing her previous best by 14 seconds. Alanis finished sixth with a time of 16:02.86. Those times rank them third and fourth among the 5,000 meters in Tar Heel history.
The Tar Heels had strong showings in the mile in addition to Strand's record-breaking performance. In the women's mile, Taryn Parks finished seventh with a time of 4:35.56. Aiden Neal finished 10th with a time of 4:00.15, which also makes him the 10th fastest mile runner in UNC history, while freshman Joe Sapone finished eighteenth with a time of 4:03.10.
Tar Heels in Action
Eagle Invite- Friday
10. Ty Castro, 15.52m
13. Brayden Radhuber, 15.07m
Women's Pole VaultÂ
10. Megan Kellghan, 3.97m
12. Peyton Berryman, 3.72m
13. Vivian Stovall, 3.57m
Women's 5000m
4. Ava Dobson, 15:56.55 (Personal Record)
6. Fatima Alanis, 16:02.86 (Personal Record)
Women's 60m Hurdles Prelims
5. Aaliyah Berry, 8.43 (Qualified)
9. Kalani Witherspoon, 8.54
16. Danni Stoughton, 9.35
Men's 60m Hurdles Prelims Â
7. Blaise Atkinson, 8.09 (Qualified)
Women's 800mÂ
2. Makayla Paige, 2:03.92 (Personal Record, Second in UNC History)
15. Ella Auderset, 2:07.45
16. Alyssa Hernandez, 2:07.61
14. Kyle Reinheimer, 1:49.52
20. Andrew Regnier, 1:51.00
41. Mark Alkins, 1:55.84
Women's Weight Throw
10. Eli Vasen, 16.20m
12. Gracie Bolick, 15.41m
14. McKynzie Mauney, 15.10m
3. Paul Signorelli, 5.02m
5. Ben Finger, 4.87m
Women's 400mÂ
13. Delea Martins, 55.86
Men's 400mÂ
15. Trevor Paschall, 48.671Â
23. Killian Fahy, 50.39
Women's 60m Hurdles Final
8. Aaliyah Berry, 8.41 (Personal Record)
5. Blaise Atkinson, 8.00 (Personal Record)
Women's MileÂ
7. Taryn Parks, 4:35.56
Men's Mile Run
1. Ethan Strand, 3:54.62 (School Record)
10. Aidan Neal, 4:00.15
18. Joe Sapone, 4:03.10
Eagle Invite SaturdayÂ
Men's Shot Put
4. Spencer Williams, 17.46
11. Tyler Mayerhoff, 13.75
Women's Distance RelayÂ
6. Paige, Martins, Auderset, Parks, 11:08.91
Women's 200m
16. Danni Stoughton, 25.37
Men's 200m Â
12. Reece Morgan, 21.56
6. Skylar Bohlman, 14.27
Men's 3000m
4. Jake Gebhardt, 7:50.48
Men's 4x400mÂ
9. Paschall, Regnier, Saddler, Morgan, 3:13.58
10. Alkins, Atkinson, Reinheimer, Fahy, 3:18.51
Valentine Invite -Â SaturdayÂ
Men's 5000m
20. Alex Phillip, 13:27.83, (Third Fastest 5k in UNC History)
91. Colton Sands, 14:07.18
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Players Mentioned
