The women’s track and field team closed its regular season at the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Championships last Friday, hosted by Springfield College, where Kelsey Whitaker ’16 qualified for this weekend’s NCAA Division III Championships.

Whitaker turned in a time of four minutes, 33.19 seconds in the 1,500-meter race—a personal best—and earned second place in the race.  Her time improved her personal best by more than three seconds and placed her 17th overall among all Division III runners, earning her three total bidS this year to the NCAA Championships.

Whitaker previously finished in 17th place in the mile run during the indoor track and field NCAA Championships this past winter.

In the fall she earned a 210th place finish at the cross-country championships. She went to both events in the 2013-14 season as well.

This will mark Whitaker’s first appearance in the NCAA Outdoor championsip. Whitaker previously took home the University Athletic Association crown in the 1,500 meter run.

Kristi Pisarik ’15 took 15th-place in the race, crossing the line at the 4:56.83 mark.

Kate Farrell ’17 improved her personal best in the 5,000-meter run by turning in a time of 17:53.00, good for 14th place. 

The race was the first time this year she finished with a time below the 18-minute mark. Her previous best time came on May 8 at the Open New England Championships.

Lydia McCaleb ’17 earned 23rd in the race, clocking in at 18:41.56. 

Halina Burhans ’18 took 22nd in the 400-meter dash, clocking in at 59.04 seconds. 

On the men’s side, the Judges’ lone competitor was Jarret Harrigan ’15, who closed his collegiate career with a 14th-place finish in the 5,000-meter run. 

Harrigan crossed the line at the 16:04.61 mark.

The five runners also competed at the Open New England Championships on May 8, where Harrigan set a new personal best in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 15:06.36.

Whitaker crossed the line in the 1,500-meter run at the 4:37.30 mark, good for 10th overall and second among all Division III runners at the race. 

The then-season-best time placed her 39th overall in Division III and three seconds out of a qualification spot before Friday’s important race at Springfield.

Pisarik placed seventh among Division III runners in the 1,5000-meter run, stopping the timer at the 4:46.81 mark. 

Farrell turned in a time of 18:00.87 in the 5,000-meter run, good for 16th overall and eighth-best of Division III runners at the meet. 

Burhans ran in both the 200-meter dash and the 400-meter dash, grabbing a top-10 finish among all Division III runners at the meet in the latter race.

Her time of 58.73 seconds in the 400-meter dash was 30th overall, while a 26.42 finish in the 200-meter dash earned 26th place, 14th-best of all Division III runners at the meet.

The men’s squad closed its season on April 26 at the University Athletic Championships, where Mohamed Sidique ’15 won the triple jump crown.

The NCAA Division III Championships are scheduled to take place this weekend at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York.