Two More Records Broken as Women's Track & Field Excels at Two Meets Saturday

BOSTON / MEDFORD, MA (February 14, 2026) - Junior Simisola Lawal and sophomore Elysse Cumberland both broke school records as the Tufts University women's indoor track & field team had an outstanding day at a pair of events on Saturday.

Competing at Boston University's David Hemery Valentine Invitational, Lawal set a new school record in the 200 meters with her time of 24.70 seconds. She replaced sophomore teammate Arielle Chechile's previous record of 24.83, which was set earlier this year. Lawal's 24.70 time won the event out of 97 competitors, including many from Division I, and it ranks 11th nationally as of Saturday afternoon. She also ran the 60-meter dash at BU and set a new PR of 7.69 seconds that is near the top 20 for Division III.

Cumberland, in action at home at the Tufts Cupid Challenge, broke the long jump record with her distance of 5.92m (19'5 ¼"). She removed the previous 5.90m (19'4 ¼") mark set by Lia Rotti in 2023. Cumberland's jump ranks fourth for Division III as of Saturday afternoon. She also won the triple jump at the Cupid Challenge today with an 11.70m (38'4 ¾") mark that improved her national ranking to 10th as of Saturday afternoon. 

Chechile had almost broke her own record earlier in the BU meet while competing in the Invite 200 meters. Her 24.87 time was just 0.04 off the mark. Lawal would get the record in the Open 200 event.

The 4x400-meter event finished today and Tufts' 3:52.15 time was first out of eight teams. Converted to a 3:49.11 banked-track time for national ranking purposes, it's at #7 in Division III as of Saturday evening. The foursome was sophomore Makayla Moriarty, first-year Cori Stewart, first-year Lauren Downer and Chechile.

Senior Julia Dolce added to Tufts' achievements at BU with a time of 2:56.03 in the 1000 meters that lifted her to #4 all-time in the event for the Jumbos. Moriarty ran a 57.01 in the Invite 400 meters at BU, a mark that is her indoor PR, places her #5 at Tufts and is 23rd in DIII as of Saturday afternoon. Freshman Zui Chinchalkar got under five minutes in the mile with a 4:58.65 mark at BU that is the team's best time of 2026 and is a top 30 national time as of Saturday afternoon. For the 3000 meters at BU, senior Liz Donahue recorded the team's season-best mark of 9:57.23, which is in the DIII top 50 on Saturday night.

Junior Kaya West had a 2:57.79 PR in the 1000 at BU, while first-year Lily Simmons and senior Lexi Dean had mile PR's of 5:03.18 and 5:05.21, respectively. Junior Deirdre Flanagan and sophomore Samara McVey recorded 3000-meters PRs of 10:05.91 and 10:11.03, respectively. Senior Eliana Montgomery had her indoor PR of 18:50.22 in the 5000 meters at the Gantcher Center. 

Junior Ceci LaBarge led the Jumbos in the weight throw at the Cupid Challenge with her 15.81m (51'10 ½") heave that was third at the meet. Classmate Jackie Wells had the best Jumbo mark in the Invite shot put with her 12.10m (39'8 ½") throw also for third place. Sophomore Julia Saporito hit a nice PR of 11.58m (38'0") in the Invite shot put.

At the Tufts meet, junior Sonia Olson's 5:19.68 mile led the Jumbos and was fourth overall. Senior Paige Zhang took fourth in the 600 meters (1:46.94). Junior Lexi King led Tufts with a 1.53m (5'0 ¼") high jump at home, while sophomore Natalie Germanov timed 8.61 seconds to lead the pole vaulters in the open 60-meter dash. Senior Jaclyn Turner was the lone Jumbo in the 3000 meters (11:22.45).

Downer with a 2:20.08 time led three Jumbos in the 800 meters at BU, while senior Anne-Sophie Janssen was in the open 400 (1:00.28).

The Jumbos will be back in action next Saturday at Wheaton College's Post-Season Qualifier.