NEW YORK CITY - Junior Neely Spence improved her own conference record in the 5K by 12 seconds on Friday afternoon with a time of 16:01.05 from the New Balance Collegiate Invitational to highlight a great first day of competition for the Shippensburg women's indoor track and field team from the New Balance Track and Field Center.

Spence became the current all-division collegiate leader in the 5K with a time that was 19 seconds faster than the second-place competitor, BYU's Morgan Haws, and 49 seconds faster than the automatic qualifying standard for Division II.

Senior Erica Hess posted a time of 57.20 seconds in the 400-meter dash to surpass the Division II provisional qualifying standard for the second time this year. Her previous season-best time of 57.23 seconds was the fastest in the PSAC entering today's competition.

Fellow senior Katie Frey paced the SU contingent in the 3K morning session with a sixth-place finish in 10:17.81 and qualified for the PSAC meet as a result of her effort. Senior Stephanie Sleboda recorded a season-best time of 10:36.63 that is an eight-second improvement from her effort just two weeks ago at the Bucknell Heptagonal.

Sophomore Megan Breski satisfied the Division II provisional qualifying standard in the pole vault for the second time this season, clearing 11 feet, 5 ¾ inches. The effort is just four inches short of her school record in the event, set earlier this season at Bucknell.

Other Friday highlights included a season-best in the long jump for freshman Lyndsay Barna and a new season-best in the 200 achieved by senior Laura Henzy.

Shippensburg continues its competition tomorrow at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational while a second contingent will compete at the DeSchriver Classic hosted by East Stroudsburg.

Notes: Spence's time was also six seconds faster than the Division I automatic qualifying standard…her previous PSAC 5K record was 16:13.01.

NCAA Automatic/Provisional Performances

5K
Neely Spence 16:01.09 [automatic]

400
Erica Hess 57.20 [provisional; season-best]

Pole Vault
Megan Breski 3.50m [provisional; second-best effort this season]

New PSAC Qualifying Performances or Season-Bests

200
Laura Henzy 26.59 [PSAC; season-best]

3K
Katie Frey 10:17.81 [PSAC]
Stephanie Sleboda 10:36.63 [PSAC; season-best]

Long Jump
Lyndsay Barna 5.09m [PSAC; season best]

Non-Traditional Events

500
Megan Rhyner 1:19.70