Bennett Sets Shot Put Mark at BSU Bears Invitational

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Senior Sydney Bennett (North Attleboro, Mass.) broke the school outdoor shot put record to lead the  Bridgewater State University women's outdoor track & field team at the season-opening BSU Bears Invitational on Saturday at the Swenson Field complex.

Bennett captured top honors in the shot put with a toss of 42 feet, 11.75 inches (13.10m) as she eclipsed her own mark of 42 feet, four inches (12.90m)  set back in 2015 at the ECSU Invitational.

Bennett qualified for the both the Division III New England Championships and the New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association (NEICAAA) Championships in the event.

Sophomore Ellie Bucknell (New Bedford, Mass.) placed second and qualified for DIII New Englands and the NEICAAAA Championships in the javelin with a mark 127 feet, eight inches (38.91m).

Bennett currently ranks seventh in all of Division III in the shot put, while Bucknell is 13th overall in the javelin.

Senior Sheila O'Sullivan (Westwood, Mass.) placed fourth in the hammer throw with a toss of 139 feet, five inches (42.49m), while freshman Molly Dewar (Grafton, Mass.) finished seventh in the discus throw with a toss of 115 feet (35.06m). O'Sullivan and Dewar both qualified for DIII New Englands in their respective events.

The Bears' foursome of seniors Amanda Lane (Abington, Mass.) and Sabrina Rizzo (Peabody, Mass.), sophomore Molly McNamara (Hull, Mass.) and freshman Jessica Haywood (East Longmeadow, Mass.) placed first in the 4x400-meter relay with a time of 4:17.03.

The 4x100-meter relay featuring Molly McNamara and twin sister Madeline McNamara (Hull, Mass.), freshman Tess Miller (Uxbridge, Mass.) and senior Traci Perry (Middleboro, Mass.) placed second with a time of 51.32 seconds.

Miller also finished third in the 200-meter dash (27.10) and sixth in the 100-meter dash (13.22), while sophomore Emily Guyon (Hopedale, Mass.) placed third in the 5,000-meter run with a personal-best time of 19:24.22.

Next Saturday, the Bears will compete at the UMass Dartmouth Corsair Classic.