Track Team Competes At Stanford Invite, Florida Relays

Friday, April 6

Gainesville, Fla.

All Day

UAB

Florida Relays

Track Team Competes At Stanford Invite, Florida Relays

4/6/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field

April 6, 2012

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --UAB junior distance runner Sarah Hudak finished second in her 5,000-meter section while Clara Cid was fifth in her 5,000 section and Kristina Vaughn placed fifth in a 3,000-meter steeplechase section and broke the school record Friday at the Stanford Invitational.

At the Florida Relays in Gainesville, Fla., Alexis Bates ran a season-best in the 100-meter dash (11.80), Rachel Harley posted a season-best effort in the 400-meter hurdles (1:01.16) and Lucy Taylor turned in a personal-best performance in the 1,500-meter run (4:32.64).

Hudak clocked a time of 16:26.41 - now second on UAB's all-time list - with Cid finishing at 16:54.22 in the 5,000 at Stanford. Vaughn ran a 10:30.25 in the 3,000 steeplechase, surpassing the school record of 10:31.90 set in 2007 by Whitney Mays.

At Florida, Bates crossed the finish line with a season-best 11.80 time in the 100 with Harley running 1:01.16 in the 400 hurdles. Taylor ran a personal-best time in the 1,500 run Friday at 4:32.64.

In other performances at the Florida Relays, Shannon Simpson ran a 19:29.16 in the 5,000-meter run. Lauren Fayen was timed at 2:15.18 in the 800 with Akira McSwain finishing the 100-meter hurdles at 15.30.

"We had six girls compete in individual events today against some of the best in the NCAA," said UAB head coach Kurt Thomas. "We had some good seasonal bests and a great PR from Lucy in the 1500m. Both Alexis and Rachel had some real nice seasonal bests times and are faster now than they ever have been at this point in the season, so that's great for them. They have some things to iron out in their races, and that hopefully will lead to big performances in the near future.

"Lucy had a really good race and got a huge PR in the 1500m. She's been running well and did so again today. It puts her in the conversation to score good points for us at conference. We have some big relays tomorrow in the 4x100,4x200, 4x400 and 4x800. These girls are running well and can compete with some of the best in the country and we'll get our chance tomorrow."