SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Mia Grassia (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) and Sophia Knerr (Columbia, N.J./North Warren Regional) both finished on the podium, while the Kutztown University women's track & field team scored 24 points on day two of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Outdoor Championships hosted at Slippery Rock Friday afternoon. 

The freshman Grassia stole the show in her first outdoor championships, clearing the bar at 1.66m (5'5.25") in the high jump. That earned the Bay Shore, N.Y. native second place, eight points, and the fifth-best mark in KU history. 

Knerr was the other big story on the day, earning bronze in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 11:33.29. That earned KU six points. Another big performer on the day finished one place behind her in the form of Anastasia Fratanduono (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan). She finished fourth with a time of 11:34.84, which scored KU another five points. Kacie Sineko was the other scorer for the Golden Bears, earning five points after a fourth-place finish in the long jump. 

Three Golden Bears also qualified for individual finals. Raechel Bonner (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), the 400m champion back in 2021, will have the chance to reclaim the crown after qualifying for the final with a time of 58.23. Ava Bendetti (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland) and Jaidah Mitchell (Pemberton, N.J./Pemberton Township) were the other KU runners to qualify for finals in the 800m and 400m hurdles respectively. Those finals will take place on Saturday.

Despite not qualifying for the 100m finals, freshman sprinter Kiana Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) continues to further etch her name into the KU records book. Young improved upon her previous best time of 12.41 with a time of 12.37, which sits as the sixth-best mark in program history.

With the majority of scoring events still to take place, the women's squad is within striking distance of the top of the pack with 27 points heading into the final day. Slippery Rock sits in first with 48.5 points, followed by Millersville, Edinboro, and Shippensburg.

The third and final day of the PSAC Outdoor Championships kicks off tomorrow, Saturday, May 13th at 11 a.m. from Slippery Rock. 

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KUTZTOWN WOMEN'S RESULTS
PSAC OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS | MAY 12, 2023
SLIPPERY ROCK, PA.

400m
7. Raechel Bonner (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), 58.23 (Q)

100m
9. Kiana Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg), 12.37, 6th all-time at KU

800m
6. Ava Bendetti (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland), 2:18.74 (Q)
17. Deandra Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg), 2:28.85
18. Erika Moriarty (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown), 2:29.64

400m Hurdles
5. Jaidah Mitchell (Pemberton, N.J./Pemberton Township), 1:05.26 (Q)
12. Hazel Deschamps (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty), 1:07.17

200m
14. Raechel Bonner (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), 25.60
15. Kiana Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg), 25.60

3000m Steeplechase
3. Sophia Knerr (Columbia, N.J./North Warren Regional), 11:33.29, 6 pts., 6th all-time at KU
4. Anastasia Fratanduono (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan), 11:34.84, 5 pts., 7th all-time at KU

High Jump
2. Mia Grassia (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore), 1.66m (5'5.25"), 8 pts., 5th all-time at KU
13. Kacie Sienko (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy), 1.51m (4'11.5")

Long Jump
4. Kacie Sienko (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy), 5.53m (18'1.75"), 5 pts., 9th all-time at KU
10. Brianna Foster (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley Park), 5.31m (17'5.25")