CENTRAL, S.C.— The Montreat women's track & field team sent a handful of athletes to South Carolina to compete in the Gotta Run Invite hosted by Southern Wesleyan University this weekend. At the meet, the Cavaliers notched four school-record marks as the team performed well.
 
Three of the five Cavs runners participating in the 400m race bested the school-best mark, which is now held by Yessenia Castellanos, who finished 16^th with a time of 1:02.50. Emily Standifer (1:02.90) and Dylan Garcia (1:02.96) also beat the previous time of 1:03.74 as the duo ended 18^th and 19^th, respectively.
 
In the field, Jessica Gakeri leapt farther than the school record in the triple jump. The freshman hit the national "B" standard and won the event by jumping an institution-best 11.71m out of 14 competitors, marking the longest result by a Montreat athlete over the last seven years.
 
Makayla Anderson added a school-record effort in the shot put to the Cavaliers' notable marks. The first-year collegiate athlete launched her implement 9.63m to best the previous mark by 0.10m.
 
The team concluded the meet with their fourth and final school record of the weekend, a 4:12.06 time in the 4x400m relay to cross seventh. The time marked the fastest 4x4 time in program history by just over two seconds.
 
"The coaching staff was really pleased with the overall effort this weekend," noted Director of Cross Country and Track & Field, Jason Lewkowicz. "We were able to see some forward progress and get in some work that will prepare us for the primary part of the season. This team is putting in the work and doing the little things required to see consistent growth. We're grateful to God for another opportunity to represent Montreat," he finished.
 
Montreat registered three additional top-10 results over the two-day event, including a pair of ninth-place marks and a 10^th-place time in the 3k. Kenzie Card earned ninth in the hammer throw (33.44m), while Anna Tastinger placed ninth in the pole vault by clearing 2.45m. Ashley Jones added a 10^th-place showing in the 3,000m run (12:11.78), finishing about a second slower than the school record in the race.
 
Lewkowicz added, "We also competed with heavy hearts as we mourn the loss of Milligan's Eli Cramer. Our thoughts were with them this weekend and we did our best to honor the memory of Eli, who was a talented and fierce competitor."
 
For all of the results from the Gotta Run Invite, click here.
 
Women's track & field now competes at both Lee University and Lenoir-Rhyne as the squad splits for the Flames Invitational and the LR Bears Invitational on Friday and Saturday of next week.