NEW LONDON, Conn. — The Smith College track and field team turned in a multi-event performance across the two-day 2026 Silfen Track & Field Invitational, hosted by Connecticut College at Silfen Field, on Friday and Saturday. The Bears were led by a dominant 1-2 finish in the pole vault and standout individual results in the distance events, headlined by a top-10 showing in the elite 1500-meter run and a podium finish in the elite 4x800-meter relay.
Pole Vault Sweep
Smith made its biggest statement of the weekend in the pole vault, where Jillian da Costa Pinto (West Hartford, CT/Conard) and Cadence Sorensen claimed the top two spots in the field. Da Costa Pinto cleared 3.30 meters to claim first place, while Sorensen was close behind at 3.15 meters for the runner-up finish. The 1-2 sweep was the signature performance of the meet for the Bears.
Distance Highlights
Lyda Martin (San Antonio, TX/Lee) delivered one of Smith's top individual finishes of the meet, placing sixth in the elite 1500-meter run with a time of 4:46.20 against one of the meet's deepest fields. Sofia Jurusz (Wildwood Crest, NJ/Middle Township) capped a strong weekend by winning the non-elite 1500-meter section outright, crossing in 4:58.93. In the elite 3000-meter steeplechase, Lucy Kreipke (Princeton, NJ/Princeton) placed fifth with a time of 11:30.68, competing against a competitive field that included the meet's facility-record winner. Avery Maiese also contributed a top-10 finish in the elite 1500, placing 10th at 4:55.82.
The Bears' 4x800-meter relay team of Catherine Collins (Westfield, NJ/Westfield), Jurusz, Maiese and Martin ran 9:38.48 to finish third in the elite section, with Connecticut College's winning squad running 9:15.31.
Additional Performers
Elowyn Gottsacker (Portland, OR/Roosevelt) advanced to the finals of the 100-meter hurdles and placed seventh with a time of 17.45. Lena Baker (Lee's Summit, MO/Lee's Summit North) put together a busy day on the track, finishing sixth in the 400-meter dash (1:00.78) after also competing in the 100-meter dash preliminaries. Elaine McCarty () posted 3,632 points to place fourth in the heptathlon. In the throws, Mollie Doyle () was active across multiple events, placing ninth in the shot put (9.71 meters) and logging marks in both the discus and hammer.
Up Next
Smith returns to action Saturday, April 18, at the Wellesley-Smith-Mount Holyoke Tri-Meet, hosted by Wellesley College.
About Smith Athletics Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information, log on to GoSmithBears.com and follow the Bears on Facebook and Instagram.
