Leah Graybill paced the Shippensburg University women's outdoor track & field team with a historic Friday, breaking the all-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) record in the 200 meters and enhancing her own school record in the 100 meters at the prestigious Colonial Relays hosted by the College of William & Mary.
 
Graybill began her day by breaking her school record in the 100 meters with a time of 11.68 seconds – improving her personal best by .23 seconds. It was a fascinating race, as each of the top four finishers set school records for their respective program – Bucknell's Meghan Quinn (2nd, 11.69), Lock Haven's Riyana Owens (3rd, 11.87) and Mansfield's Skylar Brown (4th, 11.89). Quinn was a high school teammate of Graybill at Warwick.  
 
Graybill's encore was breaking the 21-year-old PSAC record in the 200 meters by running an NCAA provisional qualifier of 23.65 seconds – an enormous personal best of .78 seconds. It erases the previous benchmark of IUP's Amber Plowden (23.83 seconds) set in 2002 and currently ranks second on the national leaderboard pending the other results from around the country this weekend.
 
The performances were two of Shippensburg's 14 performances on the day that stood as automatic qualifiers for the conference championships. Aliyah Serrano also achieved PSAC qualifiers in the 100 meters (12.11 seconds) and the 200 meters (24.93 seconds).  
 
Melanie Barger improved her best in the 100-meter hurdles to 15.65 seconds and her best in the 400-meter hurdles to 1:06, while Nicola Puggé; enhanced her 100-meter hurdle PR to 15.75 seconds and Alyssa Wert got around the track in the 400 meters in 59.75 seconds.
 
Isabelle Gulgert notched a new outdoor PR in the 5K, finishing fifth in the non-invitational heat of the event by running 18:05.60. Kelsey Hull ran 18:17.73. Kyra Gerber completed the 1,500 meters in 4:54.73.
 
In the field, Sara McKean took sixth in the long jump on a top mark of 18 feet, 1 inch. Ellie Kuhn and Katie McNesby each got over the pole vault bar at the league standard of 10 feet, 6 inches.
 
Shippensburg will have two squads competing Saturday. The contingent at William & Mary will primarily compete in relays in addition to a few individual performances, while a separate group, including all of the team's throwers, will compete at Millersville.  
 
100
1. Leah Graybill 11.68 (SU record) (NCAA 'P')
Aliyah Serrano 12.11 (PSAC)
Kayla Dalhouse 12.75
 
200
1. Leah Graybill 23.65 (PSAC record) (NCAA 'P')
Aliyah Serrano 24.93 (PSAC)
Kayla Dalhouse 26.21
 
400
Alyssa Wert 59.75 (PSAC)
 
1500
Kyra Gerber 4:54.73 (PSAC)
 
5K (non-invite)
5. Isabelle Gulgert 18:05.60 (PSAC)
Kelsey Hull 18:17.73 (PSAC)
 
100 Hurdles
Melanie Barger 15.65 (PSAC)
Nicola Puggé; 15.75 (PSAC)
 
400 Hurdles
Melanie Barger 1:06.00 (PSAC)
Lieke Black 1:09.39
 
Pole Vault
T5. Ellie Kuhn 10' 6" (3.20m) (PSAC)
Katie McNesby 10' 6" (3.20m) (PSAC)
Ashlee Newton NH
 
Long Jump
6. Sara McKean 18' 1" (5.51m) (PSAC)
Sasha Lee 16' 8 ¾" (5.10m)
 

🚨PSAC RECORD🚨@shippensburgU Leah Graybill won the 200 meters today at the Colonial Relays, her second school record of the day! Her time ranks second in the nation! 🤯🤯

She breaks the 21-year-old @PSACsports record originally set by IUP's Amber Plowden (23.83 in 2002)! pic.twitter.com/8xtbRfqEWW

— SHIP Sports Info (@ShipURaiders) March 31, 2023

 

T&F: @shippensburgU Track and Field, Leah Graybill won the 100 meters today at the prestigious Colonial Relays and broke her school record by over two-tenths of a second 🤯🤯🏎🏎 pic.twitter.com/aHbMEVb2Fp

— SHIP Sports Info (@ShipURaiders) March 31, 2023