OLIVET, MICH. -- The Trine University women's outdoor track and field team claimed its first meet win of the season by finishing first of six teams at the Olivet (Mich.) College Comet Invitational in Olivet, Mich.
As a team, Trine finished with an overall score of 196 points. Albion (Mich.) College was second with 131 points and Adrian (Mich.) College was third at 124 points.
At the end of the day, the Thunder won six individual events on the track, including a pair of relays. Junior Stephanie Hartpence (Elkhart, Ind./Concord) was one of the Trine competitors to win on the track by capturing the 400-meter dash in a time of 1:04.40.
In the distance races, three individuals took top honors in sophomore Amira Faulkner (Bellbrook, Ohio/Bellbrook), senior Megan Theismann (Ossian, Ind./Norwell) and senior Stacy Dibley (Bristol, Ind./Elkhart Central). Faulkner posted the winning time in the 800-meter run of 2:25.46 and was followed by teammate Ana Parker (White Lake, Mich./Walled Lake Northern) who placed third in the event at a time of 2:34.82.
Theismann came in first in the 3000-meter run with a mark of 10:26.4 and was joined by fellow senior Elizabeth Lohman (Fort Wayne, Ind./Caroll) who placed second just behind Theismann at 10:26.9.
Dibley was the first runner to cross the finish line in the 3000-meter steeplechase and posted a time of 12:54.97.
In the relays, Trine won both the 4x400-meter and 4x800-meter. Hartpence, junior Chloe Brittain (Breckenridge, Mich./Breckenridge), Faulkner and Parker had a combined time of 4:24.92 in the 4x400m relay to place first. Parker, Faulkner, freshman Kylie Zumbrun (Albion, Ind./Central Noble) and Brittain teamed up to win the 4x800-meter relay after recording an overall time of 10:06.56.
Another top finish for the Thunder in the running events was turned in by freshman Haley Livingston (Fort Worth, Texas/Everman) in the 100-meter hurdles who placed second overall after running a time of 16.50 seconds.
Off the track, Trine was led by junior Valerie Obear (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) who won both the discus and hammer throw events. Obear had a best effort of 124' 11.00" to win the discus and followed that with a best toss of 157' 2.00" in the hammer to take top honors.
Livingston moved from the track to compete in the long jump where she won the event following a leap of 17' 6.75".
Junior Autumn Presley (Pleasant Lake, Ind./Angola) took first in the pole vault after clearing the bar at a height of 9' 6.25" and teammate Mackenzie Bristol (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha West) placed third in the same event at 9' 0.25".
Sophomore Madelyn Summers (Kendallville, Ind./East Noble) and junior Anna Kmec (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) placed back-to-back in the shot put with Summers taking first place with a toss of 37' 1.25" and Kmec was second thanks to a throw of 36' 8.50".
Hartpence also competed in the field events and placed second in the javelin with a best effort of 111' 1.00".
Sophomore Lia Vawter (Franklin, Ind./Franklin) completed the list of Trine competitors to record a top three finish in their respective events by placing third in the high jump thanks to a leap of 4' 10.25".
The women are next scheduled to compete at the Manchester (Ind.) University Invitational next Saturday, Apr. 10. The day is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. in North Manchester, Ind.