WASHINGTON – On the final day of the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Georgetown University's track & field team tied for 30th with nine points out of 57 teams to record a point. The four-day championship held at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene concluded with a pair of Hoyas competing in a pair of events.
ON THE RECORD
"We closed out a great championship season for the women's program today. Melissa's fourth-place finish in the 1,500m is certainly a significant achievement that backs up her fourth-place finish in the indoor mile.
Chloe Scrimgeour's effort in the 10K on Thursday was tremendous but it just wasn't there today in the 5K, attempting a very difficult double. Again, I'm extremely proud of all our women who competed over the two days at these championships.
Maggie Donahue closed out her Georgetown career witgh a gutsy 10th-polace finish in the 10K on Thursday. She will be missed but remains a large part of the rich legacy of great distance runners here at Georgetown. We're fortunate to have had her on the Hilltop for five years." - Director of Track & Field / Cross Country
Alton McKenzie
"Riggins' 1,500m prelim was both gritty and business-like to qualify through. Scrimgeour executed a phenomenal NCAA debut over 10,000m leading ther chase pack for a hard-earned fifth. Donahue made a gritty return at the same distance and outstripped the form charts for 10th. Their pair of finishes mark the first time since 1996 the Hoyas placed two in the top 10. Scrimgeour wasn't able to bounce back as we hoped in the 5,000m; she's tough, will grow from the experience and be back stronger! Riggins found another level in the 1,500m final. On the ropes with 400m to go she rallied to pass four in the final circuit aided by a thrilling final 100m - fourth place and a great exclamation mark on the collegiate season for the Hoyas!" - Assistant Track & Field Coach
Mitchell Baker
HOW IT HAPPENED
- In the women's 1,500-meter finals, Melissa Riggins took the track against a stacked field, including the defending national champion in the event and a pair of competitors from conference foe Providence. Riggins came through 700 meters among the top five but that's when the field started to push and Harvard's Maia Ramsden started to make her move to defend her title. Riggins held to make her move and over the last 1:00.95 to pick off a pair of runners, including Florida's Flomena Asekol right before the finish. The Hoya All-American clocked 4:08.74 to finish fourth overall, besting her performance from a season ago when she finished 11th.
- In the women's 5,000-meter finals, All-American Chloe Scrimgeour came back less than 48 hours after her fifth-place finish and personal best in the 10,000-meter finals. Unfortunately, Scrimgeour had to step off the track with less than three laps to go and did not finish.
OF NOTE
- With nine points, Georgetown finished second among BIG EAST institutions, trailing only Providence in 25th (11 points). The Hoyas finished ahead of Villanova (49th, 3.5 points), St. John's (no team score) and UConn (no team score).
UP NEXT
A select number of athletes will continue competing at the U.S. Olympic Trials in a couple of weeks. In an Olympic year, the trials serve as the USA Track & Field (USATF) Championships with the top three from each event making Team USA. The last Hoya Olympian from the track & field program was Rachel Schneider who competed at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, held in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this week, former Hoya distance runner Kirsten Kasper (B'13 S'14) was named to the 2024 U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team and will compete in Paris.
