Feb. 12, 2010

Results | Watch Gallagher break Fordham's 800-meter record (courtesy of Flotrack.com)

Boston, Mass. - Fordham Athletics Hall of Famer Lauren Gubicza set 12 individual school records in her career which ended in the spring of 1993. That set of records had stood for over 16 years. That is until Friday, when junior Kerri Gallagher broke one of Gubicza's marks in the 800 meters at Boston University's Valentine Invitational.

Gallagher set the new Fordham standard by winning 800 meter event with an NCAA Provisional qualifying time of 2:08.56. That time was also an ECAC qualifier, as Gallagher has now qualified for the ECAC Championship in the 800 meters, 1,000 meters, and mile run.

Gallagher is the first female indoor track & field athlete to post an NCAA Provisional mark since Kerstin Greene did so in the pentathlon in 2007.

Gallagher was not the only record breaker on Friday, as fellow junior Sherilyn Groeninger broke her own school record in the 55 meter dash, which was set earlier this season. Groeninger ran 7.33 seconds in the preliminaries of the 55 meters, bettering her mark of 7.37 seconds set at the Metro Coaches Invitational on January 8th. In the finals, she placed 12th overall with a time of 7.36.

Groeninger also had a solid performance in the 200 meters, as she placed 28th overall in a season-best time of 25.90 seconds.

In addition to the two record breaking performances, Fordham also had a pair of runners finish in the top 15 in the 500 meter run. Kerry Kwalwasser placed 11th overall in a personal-best time of 1:18.80, while Kelly Connolly was 14th overall in 1:19.27.

Other individual competitors for the Fordham women on day one of the Valentine Invitational included Elisabeth Warren (T68th in the 200 meters - 26.69), Sheena Parand (58th in the 800 meters - 2:21.02), Ashley Davis (94th in the 800 meters - 2:24.11), and Catherine Groene (28th in the 500 meters - 1:21.15).

In the lone relay of the night, Fordham placed 21st in the 4x400 relay in 4:04.03.

The Valentine Invitational will conclude on Saturday, as the men's competition will take place.