SPORTS BRIEF: Maludzinski, sprint relay team take seconds at ECAC championships

Members of the Crimson track and field team had impressive performances, including two second-place finishes, against national competitors at this weekend’s IC4A and ECAC Championships hosted by Princeton. While Harvard sent less than ten athletes to the races, it was the quality, not the quantity, of the Crimson participants that impressed.

Two proved to be a recurrent number for the Harvard women, who earned both of the Crimson’s number two finishes. Senior co-captain Laura Maludzinski captured the honor in the 800-meter race, running a personal best of 2:08.95 and subsequently qualifying for NCAA Regionals.

The performance of the Crimson women’s 4x100-meter team, composed of freshmen Shannon Flahive and Brittan Smith, sophomore Dimma Kalu, and anchor senior Stevie Degroff, also merited second place. The team was clocked at 46.65 seconds, setting a new Harvard record.

Degroff also attained her own record-setting accolade, breaking the second Harvard record of the day with her 11.88-second time in the 100-meter dash.

The two new school records set this weekend bring the team’s season total to seven.

Although the Crimson men did not shatter any records this weekend, they did produce some commendable performances. Senior Kevin Duffy qualified for NCAA Regionals in the javelin. Duffy’s results must also be put into perspective—he dropped a 45-pound plate on his foot and severed his big toe last week. Duffy competed in the Heptagonal Championships last weekend and earned fourth-place honors with his broken toe.

Senior captain Travis Hughes also represented the Harvard men at the IC4A Championships, jumping 7.01 meters in the long jump and acquiring thirteenth place among a three-way tie.

The Crimson will send at least four athletes to the NCAA Regionals at North Carolina A&T State University from May 26 through May 28. Maludzinski looks to take the title in the 800-meter and 1500-meter races, while fellow co-captain Julia Pederson seeks victory in the javelin. Freshman Becky Christensen will battle it out in the high jump. Duffy will attempt to make it three meets in a row with his disjointed extremity. Sophomore Lindsey Scherf has already automatically qualified for the NCAA Finals in the 10,000-meter race.

—COURTNEY M. PETROUSKI