RICHMOND, Va. -- The Kutztown University women's track and field team kicked off the 2023 outdoor campaign against some stiff competition at the Fred Hardy Invitational, hosted by the University of Richmond Friday Afternoon. Eight Golden Bears earned PSAC qualifying marks, while five earned top five finishes in their individual events.

Coming off strong indoor seasons, Kiana Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) and Raechel Bonner (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) both hit the ground running in Richmond. Young captured fourth place in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.88, before setting a PSAC mark with a time of 25.89 in the 200 meters. After winning the 400 meters at the PSAC Indoor Championship, Bonner earned a PSAC mark with a fifth place finish in the same event with a time of 59.08.

On the track, Ava Bendetti (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland), Jaelyn D'Amelio (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional), and Sophia Knerr (Columbia, N.J./North Warren Regional) all hit PSAC marks in their first performances of the outdoor season. Bendetti hit her's in the 800 meters, while both D'Amelio and Knerr hit their marks in the 5000-meters. D'Amelio earned a top ten finish, finishing ninth with a time of 18:20.04.

KU's jumpers also picked up right where they left off. Mia Grassia (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) finished fourth in the high jump, followed by Kacie Sienko (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) in eighth. Sienko kept the momentum rolling into the long jump, where she finished third with a jump of 5.39-meters (17'8.25"), good enough for a PSAC mark. Haylee Edwards (Mohnton, Pa./Twin Valley) and Andrea Danciu (Mohnton, Pa./Governor Mifflin) both hit PSAC marks in the pole vault, finishing fifth and seventh respectively. 

In the final event of the day, the 4x400-meter relay team of Kiana Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg), Jaidah Mitchell (Pemberton, N.J./Pemberton Township), Brianna Foster (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley Park), and Raechel Bonner (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) finished fourth with a time of 4:00.66. That performance finished above division one teams from VCU, Richmond, Delaware and George Mason. 

The Golden Bears are back in action in two weeks at the Colonial Relays down in Williamsburg, Va. The first day of events starts on Thursday, March 30 at 3:30 p.m.

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KUTZTOWN WOMEN'S RESULTS
FRED HARDY INVITATIONAL
MARCH 17, 2023 | RICHMOND, Va.

100m
4. Kiana Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg), 12.88

200m
6. Kiana Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg), 25.89, PSAC Qualifying
14. Raechel Bonner (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), 26.74

400m
5. Raechel Bonner (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), 59.08, PSAC Qualifying

800m
23. Ava Bendetti (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland), 2:23.17, PSAC Qualifying
35. Deandra Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg), 2:27.01

1500m
37. Anastasia Fratanduono (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan), 5:03.31
40. Colleen Gilbert (Willow Street, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg), 5:05.70

5000m
9. Jaelyn D'Amelio (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional), 18:20.04, PSAC Qualifying
16. Sophia Knerr (Columbia, N.J./North Warren Regional), 18:46.58, PSAC Qualifying

High Jump
4. Mia Grassia (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore), 1.50m (4'11")
8. Kacie Sienko (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy), 1.50m (4'11")

Long Jump
3. Kacie Sienko (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy), 5.39m (17'8.25"), PSAC Qualifying
12. Haleigh Davis (Morgantown, Pa./Twin Valley), 4.36m (14'3.75")

Pole Vault
5. Haylee Edwards (Mohnton, Pa./Twin Valley), 3.35m (10'11.75"), PSAC Qualifying
7. Andrea Danciu (Mohnton, Pa./Governor Mifflin), 3.20m (10'6"), PSAC Qualifying

4x400m
4. Kutztown 'A': Kiana Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg), Jaidah Mitchell (Pemberton, N.J./Pemberton Township), Brianna Foster (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley Park), Raechel Bonner (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), 4:00.66
10. Kutztown 'B': Ava Bendetti (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland), Anastasia Fratanduono (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan), Colleen Gilbert (Willow Street, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg), Deandra Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg), 4:25.33