Caroline Banas	Rachel Kerr	Nora Boussatta

Results

SELINSGROVE, Pa. – The University of Scranton women's track & field team opened the 2018-19 season with a strong showing on Friday at Susquehanna's River Hawks Opener as the Royals won two events and added four other top-10 results on the day.

"The team had a great meet today and I'm quite pleased how we performed," said head coach Ozzie Brown.  "We are already way ahead compared to last year and I know we have much more in the tank. I'm looking forward to where we will be at the end of the season."

Junior Caroline Banas (Dallas, Pa./Holy Redeemer) picked right up where she left off last season, winning the high jump after clearing the bar at 1.63 meters.

The Royals also won the 4x400 meter relay as freshmen Ariana Baldwin (Far Rockaway, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial), AnnMarie Onwuka (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy), and Nikki George (Denville, N.J./Morris Knolls), along with junior Margaret Stein (Ontario, N.Y./Wayne Central), combined for a winning time of 4:37.57 in the race.

Two other Royals claimed third place finishes in individual races.  Sophomore Rachel Kerr (Dickson City, Pa./Scranton Prep) finished third in the 3000-meter run, crossing the stripe in 10:59.29, while junior Nora Boussatta (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) claimed third in the 800-meter run by striding out a pace of 2:37.42.

Sophomore Emily de Onis (Blue Town, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) also brought home a top-10 finish, placing eighth in the mile run after finishing the race in 5:46.27.

The Royals took second in the 1600 sprint medley as Baldwin, Onwuka, and George, along with senior Alexa Cardella (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea), combined for a mark of 4:38.67 to secure the runner-up finish.

Scranton will be idle for the holiday and semester break before returning to action on Saturday, January 26 when it travels to Bethlehem to compete in the John Covert Classic hosted by Lehigh.

--ROYALS--