Gold Rush: Women’s track shines at VMI Invitational

Coming off an impressive display of performances at the Camel City Invitational in late January, The ETSU women’s track and field team would look to continue the winning momentum. Standing high against the rest, the team was able to once again show how it’s done.

The two-day event held in Lexington, Kentucky at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), would end this past Saturday with the stand-out stars all around. On the first day of action, one of the teams’ consistent stars, junior, Diana Romero-Barba (Tepatitlan de Morelos, Jalisco, Mexico.) coming fresh off a Southern Conference Field Athlete of the Week award, would continue to impress.

Romero-Barba would go on to earn a silver-medal performance with a mark of 3.67m, marking three straight weeks with a personal season best. 

Looking at the track and pentathlon competitions, would see freshman, Josi Seerig (Goppingen, Germany) represent the Bucs winning efforts with a bronze-medal performance on the track, in the 5000m competition with a time of 17:56.79.

Pentathlon action would show promise, as freshman Brianna Baker (Knoxville, Tenn.) would make her collegiate debut, finishing sixth overall in a field of over 20 competitors, with career bests 60-meter hurdles and high jumps.  

On the second day of competition, the Bucs winning ways would continue. Junior track athlete, Kiera Snyder (Clyde, Mich.) would outpace the field of competitors in the mile run race. Capturing a time of 4:55.81, which would be enough to capture a gold medal. This is Snyder’s second collegiate time winning the top prize.

The gold would continue to rain for the traveling Buccaneers, as Seerig would shine again on the second day. Competing in the track and field competition, Seerig dashed to a win in the 3000m event, coming across the finish line with a time of 10:31.75.  

The VMI Invitational showed to be a great competitive weekend for the women’s track and field team. The performances and awards won would show great grit and determination, promising a great remaining season ahead. The women’s track and field team will return to action on Feb. 9, when ETSU will travel to Lynchburg, Virginia for the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational, hosted by Conference USA opponent, the Liberty Flames.  

For more information about ETSU women’s track and field, visit ETSUBucs.com.