This week saw not only the kickoff of the Judges’ 2019 outdoor Track and Field season, but also the wrap-up of the 2019 indoor season. There is no better way to end and start a season than having senior Emily Bryson become the indoor National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Champion in the mile run.

Emily Bryson finished with a winning time of 4:45:80, making her run the fifth fastest time in any Division III meet, according to the Brandeis Athletics official website. This is her third career NCAA National Championship title and her second win in this year’s meet. Bryson scored 20 points, helping the women’s team to claim seventh place overall. She continued her success in the Raleigh Relays with twin sister Julia Bryson ’19.

Both sisters competed in the 1500-meter run in North Carolina. Julia ran a time of 4:45:49, making it the 35th fastest time in Division III, while Emily ran in the latter heats. Emily finished with a time and personal record of 4:28.65. Back in Massachusetts, their fellow teammates were busy competing in the Tufts University Snowflake Classic.

The women’s Track and Field team placed 13th out 20 schools with a score of 25 points. Senior Doyin Ogundiran went home with first place in the 800-meter dash, running a time of 2:15.94. This was the Judges’ only first place win this weekend. Her time is also the 11th fastest this season in Division III women’s Track and Field, as the Brandeis Athletics website states. Lisbeth Valdez ’21 followed behind Ogundiran and took ninth place with a run of 2:21.64, only 0.12 seconds away from the top eight. Fellow sophomore Niamh Kenney later ran 18:21.24 in the 5000-meter, bringing her into fifth place. Andrea Bolduc '21, took over for the Bryson sisters in the 1500-meter run. She placed seventh with a time of 4:56.52. 

Anna Touitou '21 started the Judges off on a good note by taking fifth place in 100-meter dash finals with a time of 13.27 seconds. Devin Hiltunen ’21 then ran a 26.97 second 200-meter dash, beating out sixth place by only 0.07 seconds. She later went on to place 10th in the 400-meter dash with a run of 1:01:06, also only 0.07 seconds faster than the next spot. 

On the men’s team, the Judges tied with Babson for seventh place with a score of 30.5. Seasoned members from both the senior and junior class were among the top performers.

Scott Grote '19 continued his successful Brandeis career with a second place win in the discus throw. He threw a distance of 44.14 meters, or 144.10 feet. In the hammer throw, Grote later claimed sixth place with a distance of 42.99 meters (141 feet) on his first attempt. Regan Chari ’19 came in fourth with a time of 11.16 seconds in the 100-meter dash finals, taking off 0.08 seconds from his preliminary run.

Juniors Daniel Curley and Aaron Corin also helped the Judges take seventh in the Snowflake Classic. Curley ran 15:49.49 in the 5000-meter, earning sixth place. In the pole vault, Corin claimed third place with a height of 4.10 meters, or 13.5 feet.

Though the upperclassmen lead the men’s team, Aaron Baublis '21 and rookies Breylen Ammen and Aaron Portman held their own. Baublis ran 16.67 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles, taking him into sixth place. Ammen, on his first attempt, earned eighth place in the javelin throw at 49.31 meters (161.09 feet). Portman, with a time of 1:58.46 seconds, barely scraped into seventh place in the 800-meter, beating out eighth place by only 0.01 seconds.

The Tufts University Snowflake Classic proved to be a strong start for both the women and men’s Track and Field teams. 

Next week, the Judges will continue their season in the Amherst Invitational.