Track4-26-01

ESU Track and Field/Penn Relays

PHILADELPHIA - East Stroudsburg University's 4 x 400-meter women's relay team won its heat at the Penn Relays for the second year and improved its time almost five seconds over last season.

The Warriors streaked home over a field of ten colleges in 3:52.84. They had a half-second edge over runner-up Bucknell, 3:53.40, while Central Connecticut was third in 3:53.40. Other teams in the heat included Memphis, Charleston Southern, St. Francis, Pa., Colgate and Wagner.

Freshman Angela Gray led off with a 58.0 leg while senior Cheryl Griffin blazed around in 56.9. Sophomore Jen Eye followed with a 60.6 split and Shavanna Ross brought the baton across the line with a personal-best 57.0.

Griffin, Eye and Ross had combined with current sophomore Jackie Babbini to win last year's Penn Relays heat in 3:57.82. The same quartet won the 4 x 400 relay at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championships in a school record 3:51.91.

Ross also competed in the 400-meter hurdles and bettered the NCAA Division II provisional qualifying standard with a time of 63.13. All-America Jenn Grube also may have gained a berth in the nationals as she topped the NCAA qualifying standard with a throw 140-9. Neither placed in the top six.

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