Day 1 results
GENEVA, Ohio – The 2021 BIG EAST Outdoor Track & Field Championships presented by JEEP got under way on Friday at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. The University of Connecticut holds the lead in both the men’s and women’s team scoring. After seven events on the men's side, the Huskies totaled 115 points, and after six events on the women’s side tallied 73. Butler follows on the men’s side with 43 points, while Villanova rounds out the top three with 40. Marquette (fourth, 32 points), Georgetown (fifth, 29), DePaul (sixth, seven) and Providence (seventh, six) also earned points on the men’s side on Day 1. For the women, Villanova is in second with 44 points while DePaul is third with 27. Marquette (fourth, 26 points), Providence (fifth, 24), Butler (sixth, 18), St. John’s (seventh, 14) and Georgetown (eighth, eight) also scored for the women on Day 1.
 
The UConn men won all five of the day’s field events: Richmond Kwaateng in the long jump (7.35m), Daniel Claxton in the high jump (2.15m), Travis Snyder in the pole vault (5.05m), Christopher Keegan in the hammer throw (56.88m) and Michael Jeffers in the javelin (68.04m). The Huskies swept the top three spots in the pole vault, with Marc DeLuca following Snyder in second place and Devon McShane in third, both with a height of 4.95m. The Huskies also took three of the top four places in the javelin, with Tanner Jameson (2^nd, 63.74m) and Colin Winkler (4^th, 61.95m) joining Jeffers in the top four. Safir Scott was No. 2 in the long jump with a distance of 7.34m, as the Huskies finished 1-2 in the event. In total, UConn collected 28 points in both the pole vault and javelin, and 106 points in all field events on Day 1.
 
In the first men’s running final of the meet, Georgetown won gold in the 3,000m steeplechase for the sixth time in seven years as Parker Stokes bested the field with a time of 8:43.69. Jantz Tostenson finished third (8:50.36) for the Hoyas, while Remi Schyns of Butler placed second (8:45.54).
 
Barry Keane of Butler won the 10,000 meters for the second straight championship, snapping the tape in 29:22.37, more than a minute faster than his 2019 winning clip. The Bulldogs also picked up fourth-place honors in the event with Simon Bedard finishing in 29:58.57. Georgetown scored two top-five finishes in Shea Weilbaker (3^rd, 29:45.64) and Quinn Nicholson (5^th, 30:12.47), while Andrew Marston led Villanova in the race with a runner-up time of 29:34.23.
 
UConn won two of the four women’s field events on the day, with Taylor Woods claiming the long jump gold medal with a leap of 6.24m, while Emma Chee won the pole vault with a height of 4.02m. The 2019 pole vault champion Ashley Preston of Villanova finished second (3.92m), while Marquette’s Brielle Buechler (3.72m) rounded out the top three. Jasmine Barrow (fourth, 5.74m) joined Woods in the top four of the long jump, while DePaul’s Tori Carroll placed second (6.01m) and Marquette’s Madison Marko (5.91m) earned bronze medal honors.
 
In the day two women’s throws events, DePaul’s Rebecca Chouinard won her second straight hammer throw title with a toss of 60.80m, the best mark in the BIG EAST Championship since 2013, while Taryn Ashby three-peated in the javelin with her top throw at the BIG EAST meet of 49.89m. Ashby’s previous gold medal marks were 43.32m in 2019, and 45.28m in 2018. The Blue Demons earned 18 points in the hammer throw after Billie Martin placed fourth (54.24m) and Mackenna Orie placed sixth (50.32m). UConn’s Chanell Botsis (60.16m) and Mikyla Rodgers (54.58m) finished second and third, respectively.
 
In the first women’s running final of the weekend, Lydia Olivere of Villanova claimed the 3,000-meter steeplechase title with a time of 9:57.34, roughly one second shy of the meet record set in 2017. It marked Villanova’s first steeplechase title since 2009. Four different schools landed in the top four, with UConn’s Mia Nahom (9:58.50) also posted a sub-10:00 finish to win the silver medal, while Butler’s Angelina Ellis claimed the bronze (10:05.74) and Georgetown’s Mary Hennelly placed fourth (10:22.77).
 
Providence dominated the women’s 10,000 meter run, winning gold, silver and bronze in the event. Abbey Wheeler became the second Friar in the last three championships to win the race, snapping the tape in 33:50.07. Laura Mooney placed second (34:19.60) while Orla O’Connor finished third (34:37.21).
 
Action continues on Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. ET with the finals of the decathlon and heptathlon. Field events begin at 11:30 a.m. with the women’s triple jump, while the first running event is slotted for noon with the women’s 4x100 relay. The BIG EAST Digital Network presented by SoFi will once again cover the running events live starting at noon tomorrow. Matt Schumacker and Gabriella Kreuz are on the call. Field and multi-events will be taped, with highlights inserted into the broadcast.
 
A limited number of tickets will be provided to participating teams at the BIG EAST Outdoor Track and Field Championships. All tickets will be specifically designated for use by the members of each school's official travel party to permit families and guests of student-athletes, coaches, and team staff to attend the championship meet. There will be no public sale of tickets to this year's championship.
 
Day 1 Event Winners
Men’s
10,000m: Barry Keane, Butler – 29:22.37
3,000m Steeplechase: Parker Stokes, Georgetown – 8:43.69
Long Jump: Richmond Kwaateng, UConn – 7.35m
High Jump: Daniel Claxton, UConn – 2.15m
Pole vault: Travis Snyder, UConn – 5.05m
Hammer Throw: Christopher Keegan, UConn – 56.88m
Javelin: Michael Jeffers, UConn – 68.04m
Women’s
10,000m: Abbey Wheeler, Providence – 33:50.07
3,000m Steeplechase: Lydia Olivere, Villanova – 9:57.34
Long Jump: Taylor Woods, UConn – 6.24m
Pole vault: Emma Chee, UConn – 4.02m
Hammer Throw: Rebecca Chouinard, DePaul – 60.80m
Javelin: Taryn Ashby, Villanova – 49.89m
 
Team Scores After Day 1
Men
1            UConn                115       
2            Butler                 43         
3            Villanova            40         
4            Marquette         32         
5            Georgetown      29         
6            DePaul                7           
7            Providence         6
Women
1            UConn                73         
2            Villanova            44         
3            DePaul                27         
4            Marquette         26         
5            Providence         24         
6            Butler                 18         
7            St. John's            14         
8            Georgetown      8           
 
Championship Links
Live Results
Championship Central
Heat Sheets
Schedule of Events
Records
Watch Live BEDN: FloTrack | YouTube Day 2