St. John's University Athletics
Saturday, February 8
New York, NY (The Armory)
11 a.m.
St. John's University
vs
117th Millrose Games
St. John’s Shines at the 117th Millrose Games and the Big Apple Classic
2/8/2025 7:59:00 PM | Women's Track and Field
The Red Storm won the college women’s 4x400-meter relay at the 117th Millrose Games
NEW YORK – The St. John's track & field team shined in split action in New York City between the 117th Millrose Games at the Armory and the Big Apple Classic at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Saturday afternoon.
As a team, the Red Storm racked up five wins and 15 top-five finishes across both of its meets on Saturday.
The Red Storm kicked off its day with a win in the college women's 4x400-meter relay at the 117th Millrose Games at the Armory in Manhattan. The relay squad of Djassi Dean, Nora Haugen, Nyla Henderson and Chinenye Onuorah posted a time of 3:44.93 for first place. The Johnnies beat out second-place Hampton by less than half a second for the win at the world's longest-running indoor track & field competition.
At the Big Apple Classic, St. John's dominated in the 400-meter run with Ryana Dennis and Ciara Wiltshire taking home gold and silver medals, respectively. Dennis notched a season-best mark of 58.17 seconds for the first individual win of her collegiate career. Wiltshire finished in second, logging a personal-best time of 58.92 seconds.
Virginia Lloret notched the first pole vault win of her career with a season-best 3.55-meter leap. Colette Metcalf finished second on the team and fourth overall with a mark of 3.40 meters, while Berit Friedenbach placed seventh with a 3.25-meter vault.
Maddie Kelso-Heap and Leilani Robinson notched the top two spots in the 800-meter run at Ocean Breeze. Kelso-Heap posted her first-ever victory in the 800 meters, breezing through the race in a career-record 2:12.67. Robinson finished right behind her on a personal-best time of 2:13.99 for second.
Jamora Alves continued her dominant junior season on Saturday, earning a win in the shot put. The Grenada native tied the meet record with a heave of 14.99 meters for first place. Desiree Pagan finished in sixth place off an 11.70-meter toss followed by Maja Henry, who came in ninth from an 11.40-meter throw.
Juliet Smith recorded a career-record toss of 15.86 meters for second place in the weight throw on Saturday night. Pagan followed behind Smith in third, putting together a personal-best heave of 15.62 meters. Martina De Buglio put forth a seventh-place effort, ringing up a throw of 14.14 meters in the event.
In the short sprint events, Cassandra Lemus-Sodji notched a silver medal in the 60-meter dash, pacing the race in 7.77 seconds at Ocean Breeze. In the 60-meter hurdles, Danella Dawkins registered an 8.99-second finishing time for fourth place in Staten Island.
Dennis showed out with bronze medalist honors in the 200-meter dash, ringing up a 25.30-second finishing time in her event debut. Lemus-Sodji came in seventh, finishing the race in 25.79 seconds. Dawkins and Ashley Sadler finished back-to-back in 10th and 11th place overall. Dawkins posted a 25.99-second effort while Sadler ran the track in 26.05 seconds.
Mia Torres shined in the 500-meter run earning a bronze medal in the event. The freshman registered a 1:32.98 finish in her 500-meter debut.
In the high jump, Ruth Smith matched her career-best with a leap of 1.60 meters for fourth place. Sadler placed ninth in the event off a 1.55-meter result. Fia Viklund finished the triple jump in sixth place, leaping her way to a mark of 11.40 meters.
The Red Storm will head to Boston next weekend to compete in the David Hemery Valentine Invitational from Feb. 14-15.
As a team, the Red Storm racked up five wins and 15 top-five finishes across both of its meets on Saturday.
The Red Storm kicked off its day with a win in the college women's 4x400-meter relay at the 117th Millrose Games at the Armory in Manhattan. The relay squad of Djassi Dean, Nora Haugen, Nyla Henderson and Chinenye Onuorah posted a time of 3:44.93 for first place. The Johnnies beat out second-place Hampton by less than half a second for the win at the world's longest-running indoor track & field competition.
At the Big Apple Classic, St. John's dominated in the 400-meter run with Ryana Dennis and Ciara Wiltshire taking home gold and silver medals, respectively. Dennis notched a season-best mark of 58.17 seconds for the first individual win of her collegiate career. Wiltshire finished in second, logging a personal-best time of 58.92 seconds.
Virginia Lloret notched the first pole vault win of her career with a season-best 3.55-meter leap. Colette Metcalf finished second on the team and fourth overall with a mark of 3.40 meters, while Berit Friedenbach placed seventh with a 3.25-meter vault.
Maddie Kelso-Heap and Leilani Robinson notched the top two spots in the 800-meter run at Ocean Breeze. Kelso-Heap posted her first-ever victory in the 800 meters, breezing through the race in a career-record 2:12.67. Robinson finished right behind her on a personal-best time of 2:13.99 for second.
Jamora Alves continued her dominant junior season on Saturday, earning a win in the shot put. The Grenada native tied the meet record with a heave of 14.99 meters for first place. Desiree Pagan finished in sixth place off an 11.70-meter toss followed by Maja Henry, who came in ninth from an 11.40-meter throw.
Juliet Smith recorded a career-record toss of 15.86 meters for second place in the weight throw on Saturday night. Pagan followed behind Smith in third, putting together a personal-best heave of 15.62 meters. Martina De Buglio put forth a seventh-place effort, ringing up a throw of 14.14 meters in the event.
In the short sprint events, Cassandra Lemus-Sodji notched a silver medal in the 60-meter dash, pacing the race in 7.77 seconds at Ocean Breeze. In the 60-meter hurdles, Danella Dawkins registered an 8.99-second finishing time for fourth place in Staten Island.
Dennis showed out with bronze medalist honors in the 200-meter dash, ringing up a 25.30-second finishing time in her event debut. Lemus-Sodji came in seventh, finishing the race in 25.79 seconds. Dawkins and Ashley Sadler finished back-to-back in 10th and 11th place overall. Dawkins posted a 25.99-second effort while Sadler ran the track in 26.05 seconds.
Mia Torres shined in the 500-meter run earning a bronze medal in the event. The freshman registered a 1:32.98 finish in her 500-meter debut.
In the high jump, Ruth Smith matched her career-best with a leap of 1.60 meters for fourth place. Sadler placed ninth in the event off a 1.55-meter result. Fia Viklund finished the triple jump in sixth place, leaping her way to a mark of 11.40 meters.
The Red Storm will head to Boston next weekend to compete in the David Hemery Valentine Invitational from Feb. 14-15.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
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/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
/ Women's Track and Field
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