LEWISBURG, Pa. – The young sprints squad highlighted the American University track team's season opener when they took to the starting line at the Bison Opener hosted by Bucknell University.
 
WOMEN'S HIGHLIGHTS

• First-year Ciera Thacker had a stellar day her first time racing in an Eagles' uniform when she set a new school indoor track record in the women's 60m dash (7.30).
• Thacker also added her name to the number two spot in the school's top-10 performer's list with her finish of 25.89 in the 200m dash.
• Lorelei Bangit, Adeline Dipaolo, and Tori Maignan all ran in the 300m dash, which was the first time anyone running for AU attempted that distance in indoor history. The two freshmen, Bangit and Dipaolo came in third and fourth respectively in the race.
• The distance events on the women's side saw all returners, with the addition of first year Scarlett Lestina, who started her AU career with cross country in the fall. The mile event was junior Lucia Ianello, Lestina, and senior Cassandra Daniele coming in fifth, seventh, and 11th respectively.
• The 3000m saw sophomores Skyler Tatum (eighth), Annie Ripol (12th), and Brooke Evans (17th) competing for the first time this season.

MEN'S HIGHLIGHTS

• Jason Omari-Anim, another Eagles' first year competitor, twice added his name to the school's top-10 performer's lists. In the 60m dash, Omari-Anim's finish of 7.04 puts him at third all-time and his 23.20 finish in the 200m puts him sixth on the list.
• Sophomore Fernando Ibarra had an impressive pick up to start the season when he finished both of his races, the 60m and the 200m–in which he holds the school record–, less than a second slower than he clocked last season.
• Mirroring the women, four Eagles ran in the first-ever men's indoor 300 race. First years Emilio Hooper, Malcolm Lewis, and Laef Golden all grabbed their first performance for AU, coming in seventh, eighth, and 10th respectively.
• Distance and mid-distance returners included senior Ethan Puc, who came in third in the 800m with his 1:59.11 finish, and in the mile, graduate student Nathan Reeves was joined by junior Danny O'Neill and freshman Mathias Deldicque. The trio came in top-five finishers in the event, with Reeves clocking an event win and O'Neill and Delqicque coming second, and fourth respectively.
• In the 3000m, sophomore Jack Chandler earned a PR with his 9:26.78 finish.

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RESULTS
 
Women
60m (Prelims)
9. Ciera Thacker, 7.30** | 59. Neev Agarwal, 8.82
200m
5. Ciera Thacker, 25.89* | 42. Jessica Bakas, 29.60
300m
3. Lorelei Bangit, 40.94 | 4. Adeline Dipaolo, 44.74 | 18. Tori Maignan, 50.09
500m
6. Hannah Puckett, 1:23.02
Mile
5. Lucia Ianello, 5:29.03 | 7. Scarlett Lestina, 5:32.16 | 11. Cassandra Daniele, 5:51.09
3000m
8. Skyler Tatum, 11:11.77 | 12. Annie Ripol, 11:34. 95 | 17. Brooke Evans, 11:49.14
 
Men
60m (Prelims)
10. Jason Omari-Anim, 7.04* | 23. Fernando Ibarra, 7.23
200m
13. Fernando Ibarra, 23.09 | 17. Jason Omari-Anim, 23.20*
300m
7. Emilio Hooper, 37.23 | 8. Malcolm Lewis, 37.28 | 10. Laef Golden, 38.03 | 14. Owen Garrett, 38.92
500m
6. Toby Khang, 1:11.97
800m
3. Ethan Puc, 1:59.01
Mile
1. Nathan Reeves, 4:20.58 | 2. Danny O'Neill, 4:24.11 | 4. Mathias Deldicque, 4:28.10
3000m
8. Jack Chandler, 9:26.78 (PR)
 
* Top-10 Record Book Mark
** New School Record