ITHACA, N.Y. — Back on their home track for the only time this season, the Cornell women's outdoor track and field team made the most of it Sunday at the Big Red Invitational, turning in a dominant, stat-filled day two performance at the Kane Sports Complex.
Under cloudy skies and steady winds, Cornell's depth was on full display from the outset — and only built as the day unfolded.
Sade Falese highlighted the multi events with a strong comeback in the heptathlon, finishing second overall with 4,096 points after sitting fifth at the conclusion of day one. The junior surged behind a trio of top finishes, winning the long jump (5.12m) and 800m (2:27.69) while placing second in the javelin throw (28.48m).
On the track, Cornell's sprint groups immediately set the tone. The quartet of Divine Bamgboye, Brianna Beckham, Natasha Redmond and Olivia Walters captured the 4x100-meter relay title in 45.23, leading three Big Red squads in the event.
The distance crew followed with a sweep of the 1500 meters, as Tenley Nelson (4:32.54), Fiona Lee (4:32.90) and Kinga Czajkowska (4:41.18) went 1-2-3, with Henny Schminke adding an eighth-place finish.
Bamgboye returned to headline the hurdles, winning the 100m hurdles in 13.71 — a new freshman record and the No. 2 time in program history. Arianna Allen placed third (13.93), while Audrey Hubbell took fifth (14.33).
In the 100m dash, Cornell again controlled the podium. Redmond sprinted to victory in 11.62, followed by Beckham (11.83) and Walters (11.88) to complete another sweep.
The Big Red's dominance peaked in the 400m, where Cornell claimed the top seven spots. Freshman Sophia Comfere led the charge with a program freshman record time of 54.58, ranking No. 10 all-time. Francine Stevens (54.66) and Rachel Bethke (55.24) followed closely behind, with Eden Oje, Elika Vahhaji, Katja Jackson and Justine Hounsell rounding out the sweep.
Cornell continued its hold on the middle distances in the 800 meters, taking first through fifth and seventh. Nelson secured her second win of the day in 2:13.92, followed by Lee (2:14.72), Ava Pennachio (2:16.36), Riley Ebersole (2:17.43) and Angelina George (2:17.57), while Ivory Piskula placed seventh (2:19.67).
Elise Sawyer added a runner-up finish in the 400-meter hurdles (1:01.07), before the sprinters returned in the 200 meters with another strong showing. Redmond doubled back for the win in 24.31, Walters placed second (24.44), and Stevens (fourth, 24.81), Bamgboye (fifth, 24.94), Bethke (seventh, 25.12) and Beckham (eighth, 25.20) all scored.
Cornell closed the track events with a victory in the 4x400-meter relay, as Ebersole, Comfere, Pennachio and Jackson combined to run 3:51.09.
In the field, the Big Red continued to pile up wins.
Claire Springer led the invitational shot put with a throw of 13.86m, while Nicole Loy placed third (13.56m) and Paula-Marie Brown took fifth (11.54m). Lauren Smith won the invitational javelin at 38.62m, with Brown adding a fifth-place finish (30.26m).
Brown also contributed in the horizontal jumps, placing third in the long jump (5.62m), just ahead of Elizabeth Graham in fourth (5.60m). Anika Sukumar secured second in the triple jump (12.19m), while Sarah Caldwell finished fourth (11.30m).
In the pole vault, Avery Hilliard cleared 4.06m to win using an adjusted approach, while Lauren Cashman placed second at 4.01m — moving into No. 5 all-time in program history. Kelly Regan added a seventh-place finish (3.51m).
Johanna Stuard took fifth in the high jump (1.64m), and Avery Hastings capped the field events with a win in the hammer throw (52.84m), with Gabriella Vizcarrondo placing third (49.78m).
"It was great to compete at home in front of our fans," head coach
Mike Henderson said. "The team brought great energy. The throws and hurdles set the tone for the day coming out and getting wins, PRs and all-time performances."
The Big Red return to action this weekend, April 17-18 at the Navy Invite in Annapolis, MD.
