Women’s Track Takes Gold Star, Defeats Navy 91-90

Saturday, February 6

Annapolis, MD

2:30 PM

Army West Point

Navy

Women’s Track Takes Gold Star, Defeats Navy 91-90

February 06, 2016 | Women's Track and Field

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Army West Point women's track and field team set two meet records en route to a thrilling 91-90 victory over Navy to win the Gold Star from the Wesley A. Brown Field House on Saturday.

"Our women were awesome today," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mike Smith. "I could not be more proud of them. We only brought 27 athletes, so we had to ask some of them to compete in multiple events. We also knew we had to sweep some events to maximize our points, and we were able to take some risks that paid off in the end. Winning the 60 with Whidney Desormo allowed Haley Winters to compete in and win the 200, 400 and 4x400."

The Black Knights have now won back-to-back indoor meets opposite the Midshipmen and three of the last four total meets.

"We got contributions from everyone today," Smith added. "Our throwers gave us what we needed. Our distance runners were solid, and our sprinters dominated.This win was difficult, emotional and well deserved."

Sophomore Meagan Hilla leapt her way into the record books as her 1.74m high jump not only broke fellow Cadet Kim Seminiano's meet record at 1.73m from 1989, but also puts her second on Army's all-time list. The Green Bay, Wis., native now looks to surpass Seminiano's all-time record of 1.79m, which was also set in the 1989 season.

The other meet record came in the 4x400-meter relay as freshmen Ashley Pegues, Cassie Mundekis and Genna Murray were accompanied by senior Haley Winters. The group posted a time of 3:53.94, breaking Navy's record from 2012 by two seconds.

Additionally, freshman Abby Halbrook, who placed second in the 1000-meter run, broke Army's record in the event with a time of 2:52.97. She broke Jennifer Comfort's record of 2:52.99 which was set in 2013.

Winters took home two more individual championships in the 200 and 400-meter dashes. The senior from Spanaway, Wash., set a personal best in the 400m with a 57.46, good enough for ninth on Army's all-time list. She completed the 200m with a time of 25.41. In both events, sophomore Sydney Hawkins was there to pick up crucial second-place points for the Black Knights. Hawkins finished the 200m in 25.55 while setting a new personal best in the 400m with a time of 57.62.

Army took another one-two finish in the mile run as a pair of freshman contributed to the team's win. Abby Halbrook won the race, crossing the finish line at 5:03.35, while Payton Padgett recorded a new personal-best at 5:04.53.

Freshman Whidney Desormo excelled in the sprints today, winning the 60-meter dash with a performance that ties for seventh on Army's all-time list. The freshman from Tampa, Fla., posted a time of 7.85.

The Black Knights' final event win came in the weight throw where sophomore Briyah Brown improved the team's season-best throw to 15.56 meters.

Army returns to action next Saturday, Feb. 13, as the Black Knights split their squad for the second time in three weeks. A portion of the team will travel to Boston for BU's Valentine's Invitational while the rest of the team travels to New York City for the Millrose Games.

For up-to-date information on Army women's track and field visit GoArmyWestPoint.com and follow @ArmyWP_TrackXC on Twitter.