WASHINGTON – The Georgetown University track & field team took runner-up honors in the Championship of American Men's Distance Medley Relay (DMR) on Friday, falling just short of the title while Joshua Paige matched the school record in the men's 100-meter dash at the 2024 Penn Relays. The three-day meet continues at historic Franklin Field for its final day on Saturday, April 27 in Philadelphia.

ON THE RECORD
"Penn Relays always brings a lot of energy and excitement for our sport so it's a blessing to have our men & women compete at such a high level. 

Things got off to a great start in the 400mH with good performances from Grace Smiechowski on the women's side and Nick Givan taking the win in his heat of the men's 400mH. That set us up well for the rest of the night with a breakout performance from Mary Hennelly in the 3K Steeplechase; with her time of 10:08.34 being the 2nd fastest time in school history. Also saw Maggie Donahue run an impressive 10K season opener finishing third overall with a time of 33:16.90. Overall good showing by our Hoyas to kick off Penn Relays Carnival.

Friday at Penn Relays was exhilarating. What a race in the Men's DMR. All 4 legs ran their hearts out…but we just came up short to a Villanova team that was better on the day. Also impressed to see Josh Paige equal the school record in the 100m (10.39), just an hour after splitting 46.2 on the 400 leg of the DMR. 

Our women also ran tough in both the DMR & SMR. The 6th place finish in the SMR was a school record time (3:46.45), with the old record being around since 1998.

All in all a good day for the Hoyas and we're excited to mix it up again on Saturday." - Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Alton McKenzie
 
HOYA HIGHLIGHTS

• The squad of Camden Gilmore, Paige, Tinoda Matsatsa and Abel Teffra took on the field in the Championship of America men's distance medley relay (DMR). Through the first 1,200 meters, the Hoyas were part of the pack but over Paige's 400 meters, the Hoyas made up two spots. Matsatsa put the Hoyas right at the front through his 800 meter stanza. A battle right down to the final straightaway, GU couldn't hold off a surging Villanova anchor as the squad took second with a time of 9:36.37.
• Paige went on to compete in the men's 100-meter dash trials a little over an hour later. He clocked 10.39 over the race, winning his heat and automatically qualifying for Saturday's final. His time matches the school record originally set by Kenny Mitchell in 2010 at Arizona State.
• In the women's sprint medley relay (SMR), Rebecca Ochan, Abbie Huey, Kaira Brown and Melissa Riggins competed in the final of three heats. Through the first three legs, Georgetown had slipped to fifth in the heat. The foursome couldn't make moves out of the fifth spot and timed in at 3:46.45. The time was good enough for sixth overall.
• In the women's DMR, the squad of Chloe Gonzalez, Ashiogwu, Anya Hirschfeld and Chloe Scirimgeour took eighth with a time of 11:00.43.
• The women's 4x100m trials featured the foursome of Jadah Fitzgerald, Huey, Ochan and Piper Rodgers. The quartet ran in the final of a three-heat prelim. The foursome handily defeated the field and clocked the fastest time out of the college section prelims to automatically qualify for Saturday's final (college section) with a time of 46.09. The time is the ninth-fastest in program history.
• The last event of the day for the Blue & Gray was the men's 4x400m trials in the college section with the foursome of Jabril El-Amin, Nicholas Givan, Ryan Mulrooney and Sean Hewitt competing. Through two exchanges, the Hoyas were in third place before slipping back to fourth over the third stanza. Hewitt split 49.03 over the final 400 meters as GU clocked 3:16.31, enough for the final time qualifier for Saturday's final.
• GU's quartet in the women's 4x400m heats - Championship of America section, finished 15th with a time of 3:45.79.

 
2024 PENN RELAYS SCHEDULE
Saturday, April 27
12:20 p.m. - Men's 100m Final (Joshua Paige)
12:55 p.m. - Men's 4xMile Championship of America (Camden Gilmore, Lucas Guerra, Parker Stokes, Abel Teffra)
2:48 p.m. - Women's 4x800m Championship of America (Sierra Dinneen, DeAnna Martin, Katy-Ann McDonald, Melissa Riggins)
2:58 p.m. - Men's 4x800m Championship of America (Gabriele Angiono, Tinoda Matsatsa, Tim McInereny, Matthew Payamps)
4:40 p.m.  - Women's 4x100m Final - College Section (TBD)
5:50 p.m. - Men's 4x400m Final - College Section (TBD)