Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Captures MASCAC Title

FITCHBURG, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University women's outdoor track & field team captured the program's third straight Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) championship on Saturday at the Elliot Athletic Complex on the campus of Fitchburg State University.

The MASCAC outdoor title marked the tenth in program history. Bridgewater also won outdoor conference championships in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2015, 2021 and 2022. The Bears tallied 189 points in the team standings to outdistance runner-up Westfield State University (162 pts.).

Bridgewater placed first in nine events including two of the three relays.

Seniors Alison McDonough (Halifax, Mass.) and Jailene Escalera (Rockland, Mass.) each claimed a pair of MASCAC individual titles and set school records.

McDonough captured top honors in the 100-meter hurdles and the long jump. She posted a time of 14.33 seconds in the hurdles and broke her own school record in the long jump with a leap of 18 feet, 2.5 inches (5.55m). She eclipsed the previous standard of 17 feet, 8.75 inches set by Jayci Andrews in 2016 and equaled by McDonough in 2022.

Escalera won the 100-meter dash with a school-record and finals time of 12.20 seconds and placed first in the 200-meter dash with a time of 25.81 seconds. She surpassed her own 100 record of 12.21 seconds set just last week at the Tufts Sunshine Classic.

McDonough and Escalera each ran a leg on the Bears' record-setting 4x100-meter relay along with sophomore Kiara Abrantes (Somerset, Mass.) and junior Maeve Grosschedl (Lakeville, Mass.). The foursome won the event with a time of 47.85 seconds as they eclipsed the previous BSU outdoor standard of 47.95 seconds set by Madeline McNamara, Traci Perry, Andrews, and Samantha Richner in 2016.

Abrantes also won the MASCAC title in the 400-meter dash with a time of 59.47 seconds and competed on the Bears' winning 4x400-meter relay squad along with seniors Lily Marra (Lakeville, Mass.), and Lindsey Golden (Mansfield, Mass.) and junior Nicole Major (Andover, Mass.). The quartet recorded a time of 4:17.01.

The Bears also received MASCAC Champion performances from senior Abbi Peterson (Watertown, Mass.) in the high jump and sophomore Tristen Gomes (Middleboro, Mass.) in the triple jump. Peterson jumped five feet, 5.75 inches (1.67m), while Gomes registered a leap of 36 feet, 5.5 inches (11.11m).

McDonough was the Bears' top scorer at the meet with 28 team points. She also placed second in the 100-meter dash with a collegiate-best time of 12.28 seconds. Graduate student Ashley Garvey (Woburn, Mass.) notched 22 team points as she placed second in the discus throw (111'3"/33.91m) and hammer throw (120'6"/36.37m) as well as third in the shot put (34'7.5"/10.55m). Escalera checked in with 20 points.

Next weekend, qualifying members of the BSU women's outdoor track & field team will compete at the Division III New England Championships hosted by Springfield College.