Villanova And Emily Lipari Repeat As Women’s DMR Champions At Penn Relays

by LetsRun.com
April 24, 2014

With NCAA indoor mile champ Emily Lipari on the anchor leg, and all of the team members from last year’s winning team back, Villanova had to be feeling pretty confident heading into the college women’s distance medley relay today at the 2014 Penn Relays.

In the end, Stanford’s Aisling Cuffe did her very best on the anchor leg to break Lipari, getting close to a 1-second lead with 200 to go by running fast throughout, but Lipari turned on the jets with about 150 to go and passed Cuffe in the homestretch to get the win in 10:57.35 after a 4:33.45 anchor leg, as Villanova defended a women’s DMR crown for the first time in 20 years.

Stanford and Cuffe ended up a well-deserved second in 10:57.64. Georgetown was third in 11:06.14 as Dartmouth – behind a 4:35.10 split by Abbey D’Agostino (the second fastest of the day behind Lipari) – passed a fading Laura Roesler (4:44.28 split), the NCAA indoor 800 champ for Oregon, for fourth 11:06.31 to 11:06.89.

Emily Lipari celebrates 2014 Penn Relays win

The Race

The race from basically the end of the first lap to the start of the last lap was a four-team affair for the win between Villanova, Stanford, Georgetown and Oregon as no one else in the field could stay within three seconds of the strong opening leg of Stanford’s Amy Weissenbach (3:24.84 off of roughly a 2:20-1 first 800).

After the 400 leg, Stanford led by more than a second-and-a-half but 300 meters later, the top four teams were all bunched together. At the start of the anchor leg, Stanford led by roughly half a second over Roesler and Oregon but Lipari went out hard and got right on Cuffe’s shoulder 200 meters into the anchor leg.

Lipari stayed right behind Cuffe the entire leg as Cuffe kept the pace honest and ran 67-70-70 as  it turned into a two-team affair over the last lap. As the top two ran down the backstretch, Cuffe started to create a little bit of daylight between herself and Lipari, but anyone who has seen Lipari in the past knew what was likely to come if Lipari was on her game – a big, kick. Come it did, and Lipari and the Wildcats were the winners.

Quick Take #1: A record 13th title for the Villanova women. No one else is close. Tennessee is next on the all-time list with 5.

Quick Take #1: All the publicity and attention after this one, particularly in the local Philly papers, will go Lipari and Villanova and it’s well-deserved. But we sure were impressed by Cuffe. A great run by the 2014 NCAA indoor runner-up in the 5,000, who had just a 4:23.57 1,500 PR coming into outdoors (since improved to 4:19.60 at the Stanford Invite).

College Women’s Distance Medley Championship Of America

RESULTS

PL	SCHOOL/AFFILIATION	MARK	ATHLETES	ID
1	Villanova	10:57.35	Stephanie Schappert (3:25.00), Michaela Wilkins (54.40), Nicky Akande (2:04.51), Emily Lipari (4:33.45)	AA
2	Stanford	10:57.64	Amy Weissenbach (3:24.84), Kristyn Williams (52.37), Claudia Saunders (2:04.58), Aisling Cuffe (4:35.86)	AB
3	Georgetown	11:06.14	Andrea Keklak (3:25.44), Amanda Kimbers (53.52), Sabrina Southerland (2:04.86), Rachel Schneider (4:42.34)	AD
4	Dartmouth	11:06.31	Dana Giordano (3:29.61), Elizabeth Markowitz (54.32), Megan Krumpoch (2:07.29), Abbey D’Agostino (4:35.10)	AE
5	Oregon	11:06.89	Megan Patrignelli (3:26.35), Chizoba Okodogbe (52.65), Samantha Murphy (2:03.63), Laura Roesler (4:44.28)	AC
6	Texas	11:16.76	Connor Ward (3:37.19), Danielle Dowie (53.56), Katie Hoaldridge (2:06.16), Marielle Hall (4:39.87)	AJ
7	Duke	11:18.29	Anima Banks (3:28.95), Madeline Kopp (53.42), Abby Farley (2:09.56), Haley Meier (4:46.38)	AF
8	Harvard	11:18.59	Kieran Gallagher (3:31.75), Olivia Abbate (55.89), Erika Veidis (2:06.55), Molly Renfer (4:44.41)	AK
9	Columbia	11:18.85	Olivia Sadler (3:28.85), Jaycee Parker (55.43), Trina Bills (2:08.54), Waverly Neer (4:46.04)	AH
10	N.C. State	11:22.88	Megan Moye (3:30.73), Denae Ford (55.51), Kenyetta Iyevbele (2:06.45), Ryanna Henderson (4:50.21)	AO
11	Mississippi State	11:25.06	Katie Huston (3:32.60), Keisha Wallace (55.51), Ocian Archer (2:14.31), Rhianwedd Price (4:42.66)	AM
12	UConn	11:26.57	Laura Williamson (3:35.63), Paris Taft (56.97), Faith Dismuke (2:09.50), Brigitte Mania (4:44.48)	AN
13	New Mexico	11:31.02		AI
14	Princeton	11:45.69	Zoe Sims (3:36.43), Emily Broyles (59.47), Kristin Smoot (2:11.16), Molly Higgins (4:58.65)

Cuffe and Lipari broke away as they approached the bell

Cuffe sill led leading into the last 100

High School Girls’ 3,000m Championship

After a 5:10 first 1,600, the race seemed to belong to Foot Locker runner-up Hannah DeBalsi and a lap later there was no doubt as she’d win in 9:34.57.

RESULTS

High School Girls’ Mile Run Championship

After opening splits of 70 for 409, 2:23 for 809 and 3:36 at the bell, this race was a three-person battle but there was zero doubt as to who was the best over the last 400 as West Virginia signee Amelia Paladino got the win in 4:45.34.

RESULTS

High School Girls’ Distance Medley Championship Of America

Caroline Alcorta, a North Carolina signee, delivered a superb 4:46.46 anchor leg to get West Springfield a dominant victory. West Springfield also won the indoor nationals DMR.

RESULTS