Another Record for Chechile Highlights Home Meet for Women's Track & Field

BOSTON, MA (February 7, 2026) - Sophomore Arielle Chechile broke a Tufts record for the second straight week today as the women's indoor track & field team hosted the Tufts Invitational at the Gantcher Center.

Chechile won the 400 meters with a time of 55.65 seconds to break the 22-year old school record of 56.26 set by Jessica Trombly in 2004. Because it was run on the flat track at Gantcher, the time is converted for national-ranking purposes to a 54.92 that is currently #3 in the nation for Division III. Chechile broke the Tufts record in the 200 meters last weekend.

Also highlighting today was the return of Elysse Cumberland, the NCAA indoor triple jump champion in 2025. Beginning her sophomore season, she ran a 7.93 PR in the 60-meter dash prelims before sitting out the final. Then in the triple jump, she won with an 11.61m (38'1 ¼") mark that ranks 10th for Division III as of Saturday evening.

Junior Ceci LaBarge won the weight throw event for the Jumbos today. Her 15.50m (50'10 ¼") mark is her second straight victory in the event, including last week at the Harvard Invitational. LaBarge also had a 10.40m (34'1 ½") PR in the shot put. Tufts swept the throws today, as junior Jackie Wells was first in the shot put at 11.78m (38'7 ¾").

Sophomore Makayla Moriarty got the win out of 16 runners in the 200 meters. Her time of 26.02 seconds is her indoor PR for the event. Junior Deirdre Flanagan won the mile run with a 5:08.51 time that is her PR.

Sophomore Lauren Zipoli flexed her athleticism today. She had the team's best 60-meter hurdles time and long jump distance of the season. Her PR of 9.42 seconds was second in the 60-hurdles final, while the 5.24m (17'2 ¼") long jump was her indoor PR and third at the meet. She also hit her PR in the high jump, clearing 1.53m (5'0 ¼").

Winners of seven events overall today, Tufts also had the fastest 4x400-meter relay out of eight teams. The foursome of first-year Kayleigh Forde, Dolce, Stewart and senior Anne-Sophie Janssen won with a 4:08.47 time. Janssen added a 10.02 PR in the 60-hurdles.

The Jumbos loaded up on second-place finishes with eight overall. Senior Liz Donahue in the 3000 meters had a 10:03.57 runner-up time which converts to a 9:58.44 that is 36th nationally. Junior Kaya West with a 5:09.80 in the mile, and Stewart in the 600 meters - a 1:39.07 finish that is the team's best time of the season - were both second.

Freshman Lilly Simmonds' 1000 meters race was also second with a team season-best mark of 2:57.60. She earned a spot in Tufts' all-time top 10 with the mark.
Junior Lexi King was the runner-up in the high jump with success at 1.58m (5'2 ¼"). The mark ties for the Jumbos best this year. Junior Emma Gall's 3.46m (11'4 ¼") pole vault was second in that event, while junior Nora Jean-Jacques was the runner-up in the triple jump with her indoor PR of 10.67m (35'0 ¼").

First-year Zui Chilchalkar improved her season-best national time in the 3000 to 10:00.03 (converted) for the #42 Division III ranking.  

Jumbos who added PR's today were senior Eliana Montgomery at 10:56.91 in the 3000 meters, junior Nicole Kuhl  with a 14.18m (46'6 ¼") weight throw, sophomore Samara McVey at 5:10.18 in the mile and sophomore Julia Saporito's 10.92m (35'10") for the shot put

Next weekend features two meets for the Jumbos. They will host the Cupid Challenge and go to the BU David Hemery Valentine Invitational on both Friday and Saturday.