April 13, 2008

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Loyola University Chicago outdoor track and field team battled the weather at the Tony Waldrop Invitational at UNC this weekend. Despite the storm, Loyola turned in solid performances as three different Ramblers recorded new personal-bests.

Sophomore Donte Prisby bettered his time in the men's 400m by three-tenths of a second (49.22) as he finished 11th out of 35 competitors. Ricky Headrick finished 15th with a personal-best time of 49.86, while junior Demetri Lambros set a new personal-record with his time of 50.89 to place 26th. Jimel Denham rounded out the Rambler quartet with a 32nd-place finish (51.74).

Ben Reifenberg led the Rambler men in the 1,500m with a ninth-place finish (4:00.92). Freshman Anthony Wile garnered 13th with a time of 4:02.73 and sophomore Matt McCabe came in 20th (4:06.07) among 38 runners.

The women's 4x100m team of Julia Higgins, Christina James, Lauren Smith and Rebecca Taylor finished seventh with a time of 49.58, shaving four-tenths of a second off of their best time.

Jena Brown garnered an eighth-place finish to lead the Rambler women in the 1,500m with a time of 4:48.74. Jessie Morgenthal (4:49.93), Amanda Domich (4:50.10) and Ashley Raymond (4:50.39) finished 10th, 11th and 12th, respectively. Rounding out the Rambler women were Alison Rack (4:51.43) who placed 15th and Genevieve Binnie (4:52.87) who earned an 18th-place finish out of 37 competitors.

The Ramblers' meet was shortened when thunder and lightening struck bringing the Tony Waldrop Invitational to a halt. The scheduled Elmhurst Invitational in Elmhurst, Ill., was cancelled due to rain in the area.

Loyola track and field will return to action on Saturday, April 19 at the Rankin Invitational in West Lafayette, Ind.