MEDFORD - The Tufts women's outdoor track & field team is one of the top 10 in New England regardless of division based upon the team's 10th place finish at the 2011 New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association (NEICAAA) Championships. Tufts scored 36.33 points at the meet, which featured teams from Divisions I, II and III and was hosted by Southern Connecticut over the weekend.
Tufts sophomore Kelly Allen (Norton, MA) won the New England discus throw title, giving her championships in the event for three straight weeks (NESCAC and New England Div. III also). She won on Saturday with a 144'5" (44.01m) heave, and also scored in the shot put and hammer throw.
As is commonly the case at this meet, the high level of competition brought out the best in the Jumbos. They also posted three marks that improved NCAA national qualifying hopes. Junior Nakeisha Jones (Boston, MA) is now #7 in the triple jump with her 39'3 3/4" mark from Saturday. She was third in the event. Senior tri-captain Kanku Kabongo (Abington, MA) also improved her triple jump national mark to 38'0" (11.58m), seventh at the meet.
In the 3,000 steeplechase, senior Amy Wilfert (Westborough, MA) was over four seconds faster than last week for a 10:50.16 time that improved her national standing and was fifth at the meet.
Kabongo and first year hurdler Jana Hieber (Goffstown, NH) also performed well for the Jumbos. Hieber ran 1:02.65 for third place in the 400 hurdles, just 0.06 off her season's best. Kabongo was just shy of the NCAA provisional mark in the long jump, with her 18'3" (5.56m) finishing fifth.
New Hampshire won the New England title with 95 points, followed closely by Northeastern at 92. The Jumbos were third among DIII teams.
Tufts has the ECAC Championships next week as the final opportunity to improve their NCAA chances.
NEICAAA Championship results
#
