Sprinter Amelia Reynolds had one of the best days on competition in Radford women’s track & field history and was rewarded by being named the 2018 Big South Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Year.
Reynolds becomes the fourth Freshman of the Year in Radford history. She joins Amber Church (2011), Elaine Derricott (2010) and Shemeila Brandon (2006).
Her performance helped the Highlanders finish fourth at the Big South Indoor Championships with 82 points, the most they have accumulated since getting 118 in 2001. It’s a huge step in the right direction for a program that placed sixth in the same meet last season before losing several prominent seniors.
A newcomer from Monmouthshire, Wales, Reynolds earned a spot atop the podium in four different events on Saturday. She began the day by breaking the school record in the 400-meter dash with a time of 55.42 seconds, placing second.
She followed that by placing third in the 60-meter dash with a personal record time of 7.66 seconds. Her third medal came in the 200-meter dash where she posted yet another PR of 24.44 seconds, earning second place.
Her final medal was a team effort. She anchored the 4×400-meter relay team alongside Tenae Washington, Ryan Paine and La’Tisha Chambers and they combined to run a 3:53.24 and take second. The time ties for second-best in school history and is only .01 off the record which was set by Caple, Cruz, Keener and Brandon in 2006.
Chambers joined Reynolds the 400-meter dash finals and her time of 57.61 moved her into 10th all-time in Radford history.
Fellow freshman Karryngton Harrison earned Radford’s sole gold medal at the Big South Championships. She topped the field in the 60-meter hurdles with a personal record time of 8.73 seconds which ranks fifth in program history. Alaina Pagliaro didn’t quite make the podium, but her time of 9.03 seconds was a PR for her as well.
Competing in the triple jump after taking third in the long jump Friday, sophomore Alexis Walton got herself another medal by taking third once again. She leapt a personal record 11.93 meters (37’8.50″).
A personal record time of 10:16.06 earned freshman Annsley Eckert a seventh-place finish out of 18 runners in the 3K. It’s the seventh-fastest 3K in program history.
Host-school Liberty won the championship with a dominating 224 points. Campbell took second with 99.5 points and High Point slotted in just behind in third with 98.5 points.
The Highlanders will now have a couple weeks to rest to gear up for outdoor season. It begins with the Coastal Carolina Invitational which begins on Friday, March 9 and concludes on Saturday, March 10.
–RU Athletics
