The St. Mary’s College of Maryland women’s indoor track and field team made history by securing its first-ever United East Conference Indoor Championship title. Competing in Landover, Maryland, the Seahawks amassed 203 points, outperforming four other schools and earning points in 15 of 16 events. The milestone victory was accompanied by multiple individual accolades, including Rookie of the Year, Field Athlete of the Year, Track Athlete of the Year, and Coach of the Year honors.
The team delivered standout performances across sprints, middle-distance events, relays, and field competitions. The 60-meter dash featured personal and school records, with Rocksann Smith setting a new program best in the preliminaries at 8.09 seconds, while Chay’La Rivers matched that mark in the finals to take second place. In the 60-meter hurdles, Rivers claimed the top spot with a 9.79-second finish, followed closely by Smith in second with a personal-best time.
Smith led a deep lineup in the 200-meter dash, finishing second with a time of 27.61 seconds. Rivers secured a top-five finish, while Grace Hountangni and Kayla Thomas set personal records. In the 400-meter event, Avery Arizzi’s second-place finish in 1:03.36 headlined a strong showing, with teammates Dami Akinsanya and Chloe Tolson finishing just behind.
The team’s dominance extended to middle-distance races. Mileah Cotton established a new school record in the 800 meters, securing first place with a time of 2:27.97. She continued her streak in the mile, winning with another program-best mark of 5:27.50. Teammates Macy Woroniecki, Ariana Lecouras, and Ellie Geiger all set personal records in the event.
Long-distance runners also contributed key points, led by Ella Mitchell’s second-place finish in the 3,000 meters with a time of 11:56.73. Madison Kingsley and Lecouras followed in third and fourth, respectively. Lecouras returned in the 5,000-meter race, finishing as the runner-up in 22:55.48.
The Seahawks’ relay teams delivered crucial finishes. The 4×400-meter relay squad of Akinsanya, Arizzi, Tolson, and Cotton secured first place in 4:24.54, while the distance medley relay team placed second.
Field events played a pivotal role in the championship victory. Smith claimed first place in the high jump, setting a new school record at 1.50 meters, with Rivers finishing second. Smith also recorded a second-place finish in the long jump with a 4.73-meter leap, while Rivers placed just behind. In the triple jump, Smith and Rivers took second and third, respectively.
In the throwing events, Jillian Zukley delivered a strong showing in the shot put, finishing second with an 11.91-meter throw. Smith added a personal-best mark in the event, placing fifth. Zukley also led the Seahawks in the weight throw with a 12.62-meter mark, securing a second-place finish. Fladaina Bruno recorded a personal best to place third, with Safi Stimely also reaching the finals.
The Seahawks’ remarkable championship performance marks a turning point for the program, demonstrating their growth and ability to compete at the highest level. With a historic victory in the books, the team now sets its sights on the South Region Final Qualifier in Winchester, Virginia, on March 7.
