PHILADELPHIA -- The 125th Penn Relays kicked off Thursday morning and the Terps didn't take long to begin posting season-best marks during the first day of competition.
Xahria Santiago posted a season best time 58.41 in the 400m hurdles, earning a third place overall finish. Thaila Cooper and Nadia Hackett followed to both finished in the top 15 of the women's championship 400m hurdles with times of 1:01.19 and 1:01.32.
In the women's pole vault, Gwendolyn Zeckowski tied her collegiate best, clearing 3.65m (11'9 ¾") to tie for fourth place.
Alice Barnsdale earned a fifth place medal finish in the women's championship hammer with a throw of 60.56m (198'8"). Also in the hammer, Bayli Smith qualified for the women's hammer throw finals and earned a seventh place finish with a throw of 53.05m (174'0").
Kamryn Henderson launched the shot put 12.31m (40'4 ½") in the women's competition. Â
In the women's championship DMR, the Terps team team of Alexandra Lucki, Cheyenne Jones, Mackenzie Morgan and Christine Laurie posted an impressive 11:24.02, a mark that lands them #2 on the Maryland all-time list.
Aaron Barlev posted a 9:18.12 in a competitive field of runners in the men's 3000m steeplechase.
The Terps went out on a high note with Kathryn Gearhart wrapping up the first day of competition breaking the 17-minute barrier and running a personal best time of 16:52.60 in the women's 5000m.
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