Smith Breaks 29-Year Old Mark at DIII New England Regionals

Results

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. --- Senior sprinter Rachael Smith (Somerset, MA) broke one of the oldest records in Bridgewater State College Outdoor Track history and qualified provisionally for the NCAA’s in the 400 meter hurdles (1:03.86) at the Division III New England Regional's this past weekend.

The meet hosted by Coast Guard was won by Williams who scored 111 points while the Bears tallied eight points to finish 20th.

With a second place finish Smith earned All-New England Division III honors and she will await word whether she qualified for the 2008 NCAA Division III Women's Outdoor meet in three weeks. Smith passed Lee Gifford’s mark of 1:04.7 which was set in 1979. Along with Debbie Mueller’s time in the 1500, the 29-year old standard in the 400 meter hurdles was one of the oldest records in BSC Outdoor track board yet to be passed.

In relay action, Smith and freshmen classmates Amanda Hauswirth (Methuen, MA), Carissa Penney (Gardner, MA) and Jessica Eidinger (Sutton, MA) combined for an 11th place finish in the 4 x 800 meter relay with a time of 9:58.50. The time was only 14 seconds away from breaking the BSC Outdoor record set in 1983.

This weekend Smith and distance runner Nicole Mauro (Mashpee, MA) will try to qualify for the NCAA’s at the NEICAAA meet this weekend in the 400 meter hurdles and the 5,000, respectively. The first gun will fire at noon on Thursday, for the three-day event hosted by the University of New Hampshire.

Release written by Steven M Miller, Jr --- Sports Information Correspondent