St. John’s Heads to the ECAC/IC4A Indoor Championship

Friday, March 1

Boston, Mass.

St. John's University

ECAC/IC4A Championships

St. John’s Heads to the ECAC/IC4A Indoor Championship

2/28/2019 11:12:00 AM | Women's Track and Field

Eleven Johnnies will travel to Boston to compete in seven events

By: Dylan Smith

            QUEENS, N.Y. (Feb. 28, 2019) – The St. John's track & field team gears up for the ECAC/IC4A Championships at the Boston University Track and Tennis Center, starting on Friday, March 1.

            Eleven Johnnies have qualified for seven events this weekend. Those disciplines include the 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash, 1,600-meter relay, long jump, triple jump, weight throw and shot put.

            Sophomore Leah Anderson heads into Boston with three medals around her neck after the BIG EAST Indoor Track & Field Championships. The sophomore picked up a silver medal in the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes with times of 24.21 and 54.51, respectively. The Mount Vernon, N.Y., native was also named to the All-BIG EAST indoor team in her two individual events as well as the 1,600-meter relay.

            Along with Anderson, Torisha LaForce, Skyy Diop and Kafi Ottley all picked up the conference honor after claiming one of the Red Storm's two gold medals in Ohio. The St. John's foursome crossed the finish line at 3:42.59 after the Johnnies' anchor, Diop, fought off DePaul's surging rookie Kiersten Walker in the final 60 meters to capture the gold. The Red Storm's freshman will also lace up with Anderson in the 400-meter dash.

            Much like her relay teammates, shot putter Amarys Berry was also recognized by the BIG EAST and recorded a first-place finish at the conference championship. The junior thrower launched her shot put a career-best 14.67 meters, 0.02 meters better than runner-up, DePaul's Emily Eller. The Hackensack, N.J., native returns to Boston to improve upon her 15th place finish from a season ago.

            Joining Berry at Boston University will be freshman thrower Samantha Morillo. Her qualifying throw of 13.99 meters at the Fastrack National Invite is also a personal-best mark.

            Freshman Ja'Tae Joyner will make her second championship appearance in as many weekends, participating in the long jump and triple jump. The Bowie, Md., native heads to Beantown with two silver medals from the BIG EAST Indoor Championships where she set marks of 5.67 meters and 11.93 meters, respectively. Joyner also received her first career all-conference recognition.

            The final member of 2019 all-conference indoor team is weight thrower Jennifer Odoemene. In her fourth indoor season, Odoemene shattered her personal record in the Fordham Lid Lifter with a distance of 18.18 meters. The West Orange, N.J., native registered a silver medal performance at the conference championship meet, tossing her 20-lb weight 17.85 meters.

            Head Coach Jim Hurt and his staff will send two more throwers to the IC4A/ECAC Indoor Championships in Bernadette McGowan and Ashley Walsh. The Red Storm duo joined Odoemene on the Fordham podium with ECAC qualifying throws of 17.00 meters and 16.79 meters, respectively. Rounding out the Red Storm's 10 competitors is Destiny Davis. The Mobile, Ala., native posted a time of 24.65 in the 200-meter and will race alongside Anderson.

            The first event St. John's will compete in is the long jump on Saturday, March 2 at 3:00 p.m. You can follow along with all of the action by clicking here.