The Middlebury women's track and field team posted several strong finishes to begin the outdoor campaign at the University of California Riverside Spring Classic. The squad collected a pair of event victories and numerous top-10 efforts at a meet that featured teams from all three divisions.

HIGHLIGHTS

• MK Cestaro notched the first Panther win in the 1,500-meter run. Her time of 4:41.47 in the event led the pack by over three seconds. Five Middlebury runners placed in the top 10, including Naomi Atwood (fifth - 4:48.35), Shea Fajen (seventh - 4:51.28), Caroline VanSchaick (eighth - 4:52.15) and Naomi Gomel (10th - 4:58.82).
• The navy and white swept the top seven in the 5,000, spearheaded by Grace Kaelber with a clocking of 18:43.41. Naomi Gomel (18:49.90) and Josie Dolan (18:51.30) rounded out the top three, while Amelia Gray (19:07.26), Lucca Franz (19:17.92), Shea Fajen (19:17.96) and Sofia Mulada (20:02.41) swept the next four spots.
• Lily Haskins-Vaughan thrived in the high jump, clearing the bar at 1.62m for the second-highest mark of the event. She hit the mark on her second attempt to land in third place.
• Lily Bulczynski ran a strong race in the 800, clocking in at 2:15.21 to claim fourth. 
• In the pole vault, Claire Miller soared 3.20 meters to earn sixth place. She was one of four athletes to clear the mark and accomplished the feat on her initial attempt to lead the group.
• Three Panthers earned spots in the top 10 in the shot put. Julia Tulimieri secured sixth with a heave of 12.31m, while Lilly Wurtz finished right behind in seventh at 12.29m. Emily Rubio recorded a 10.32m toss to slot 10th.
• Emma Mills nabbed eighth in the 100 hurdles, completing her race in 15.15 seconds.
• Tulimieri (44.44m) and Wurtz (44.36m) also performed well in the hammer throw, earning eighth and 10th. Wurtz rounded out her day with a toss of 37.06m for a 10th-place showing in the discus.
• Olive Lawrence sprinted through the 100 dash in 12.20 seconds to claim eighth.
• In the 400 hurdles, Anna Mazur took ninth with an effort of 1:06.25.

NOTES

• Wurtz established a new best in the hammer throw by 2.55 meters.
• Fajen trimmed 0.25 seconds off her personal best in the 1,500.
• Bulczynski diced 1.17 ticks off her career mark in the 800.
• Miller's clearance in the pole vault marked her best outdoor effort by a quarter of a meter.
• Mills improved on her top finish in the 100 hurdles by five-hundredths of a second, while Lawrence shaved the same amount of time off her best effort in the 100 dash.

The Panthers wrap up their stay in California on Friday at the Mangrum Invitational, beginning at 1:00 p.m. EST.