WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College track & field team opened its 2026 season at the WCU Purple & Gold Open, hosted by West Chester University.

"Today was a great way to kick off our 2026 season," said Head Track & Field Coach Jaryd Flank. "This is the best I've seen this team look at this point in the year. We still have a lot of work to put in to get where we want to be by the end of the season, but this was a great starting point."

In the 100-meter dash, first-year Keyara Harriston (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) led the way with a time of 13.94 seconds. Sophomore Alyssa Maldonado (Delmar, Md./Parkland) crossed the finish line in 14.68 seconds and junior Krishana Brooks (Long Branch, N.J./Long Branch) ran a time of 14.75 seconds.

In the 100-meter hurdles, senior Lexus Kutz-Green (Wilson, Pa./Wilson Area) finished in 26.47 seconds, placing tenth.

First-year Laila Stevenson (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) paced the Falcons in the 200-meter dash, finishing in 29.24 seconds. Harriston followed in a time of 29.45 seconds and sophomore Emily Matoushek (Waymart, Pa./Forest City Regional) crossed in 32.43 seconds.

Stevenson once again led Cedar Crest, this time in the 400-meter dash, crossing the line in 1:04.68. Sophomore Mel Val (Tracy City, Tenn./St. Andrew's Sewanee) followed behind with a time of 1:06.39. Matoushek also ran the event, recording a time of 1:17.41.

In the 800-meter run, sophomore Giada Smith (Springtown, Pa./Palisades) ran a personal-best time of 2:41.52.

Sophomore Katie Garcia (Easton, Pa./Notre Dame) paced the Falcons in the 1500-meter run, registering a time of 5:58.14. Senior Shayla Simek (Lehighton, Pa./Lehighton Area) followed with a time of 6:42.01.

In the field events, senior Bella Bozen (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) took fourth in the discus with a throw of 33.60 meters. First-year Caterina Catizone (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley) placed 12^th with a mark of 28.96 meters. Senior Alana Connor (Manassas, Va./Charles J. Colgan) threw 26.11 meters and sophomore Symarah Drey (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) tossed a mark of 15.64 meters.

Connor led Cedar Crest in the hammer throw, taking seventh with a mark of 33.58 meters. Bozen finished tenth with a throw of 29.28 meters. Junior Courtney Gibbons (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) recorded a personal-best mark of 29.00 meters and Catizone registered a throw of 22.23 meters.

In the javelin, Bozen finished fifth with a mark of 30.41 meters while Drey recorded a personal-best throw of 24.66 meters.

First-year Kaitlyn Cohen (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville-Dewitt) placed fifth in the pole vault with a mark of 2.15 meters.

Connor guided the Falcons in the shot put with a mark of 9.78 meters, placing ninth. Catizone competed in the event and registered a throw of 9.10 meters.

Cedar Crest will return to action at the Danny Curran Invitational on Friday, March 27 at Widener University.