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Taylor Funk clearing the bar in the pole vault at the Keystone Challenge, 3/21/26
Chris Sponagle/Kutztown University

Women's Outdoor Track & Field C.J. Hemerly, Assistant Sports Information Director

Trio of pole vaulters earn PSAC marks as Kutztown begins outdoor season at Keystone Challenge

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Taylor Funk (Denver, Pa./Cocalico), Natalie Holland (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) and Marissa McNamee (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) all earned Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference qualifying standards to lead Kutztown women's outdoor track & field in its season opener Saturday at the Keystone Challenge, hosted on the campus of Shippensburg University.
 
Funk led the way with a fourth place finish on a best clearance of 3.55m. Both Holland and McNamee tallied a 3.40m, with Holland placing fifth, clearing her 3.40m in the first attempt, and McNamee was eighth, getting the 3.40m on her second attempt.
 
Both Golden Bear relay teams crossed the finish line first. The 4x100 relay team, consisting of Kiana Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg), Beth Schearer (Springfield, Pa./Springfield), Samantha Boyle (Bayville, N.J./Central Regional) and Brook Smith (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) ran a 49.78, and the 4x400 relay team of Schearer, Smith, Isabella Hughes (Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Schuylkill Haven) and Maggie Coleman (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) finished in 4:09.00.
 
On the track, Smith (100m), Gabby Keith (Reading, Pa./Exeter) (1500m) and Allie Pavone (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) (5000m) all had top-five finishes, while in field events, Maria Clark (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) posted top five placings in both the shot put and discus, joining Funk and Holland from the pole vault.
 
Kutztown returns to action next weekend for a two-day Dr. Jack Toms Invitational, hosted by the University of Lynchburg in Lynchburg, Va.
 
KEYSTONE CHALLENGE
Saturday, March 21, 2026 | Shippensburg, Pa. | Seth Grove Stadium
 
KUTZTOWN RESULTS
 
100m
4. Brook Smith (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) – 12.61
5. Beth Schearer (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) – 12.81
10. Aziah Wilkins (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) – 13.83
12. Grace Tedesco (Ocean View, N.J./Ocean City) – 14.26
 
200m
14. Maggie Coleman (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) – 26.88
18. Aziah Wilkins (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) – 28.52
22. Emily Bozena (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) – 29.74
 
400m
11. Aubrey Carlson (Lebanon, N.J./North Hunterdon) – 1:04.65
13. Gracie Trexler (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) – 1:05.11
 
800m
8. Maya McDonnell (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South) – 2:29.56
10. Maura Lenhart (Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh) – 2:30.30
11. Emma Newton (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) – 2:30.40
13. Lizzie Brown (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan) – 2:32.17
14. Faith Belote (Easton, Pa./Easton) – 2:33.35
19. Sage Dunkleberger (Watsontown, Pa./Warrior Run) – 2:41.80
23. Nina Castellano (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J./Hasbrouck Heights) – 2:51.08
 
1500m
4. Gabby Keith (Reading, Pa./Exeter) – 4:58.54
8. Lizzie Brown (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan) – 5:02.11
9. Faith Belote (Easton, Pa./Easton) – 5:02.39
10. Maura Lenhart (Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh) – 5:02.55
16. Sage Dunkleberger (Watsontown, Pa./Warrior Run) – 5:14.66
21. Kadia Stover (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) – 5:28.15
22. Nina Castellano (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J./Hasbrouck Heights) – 5:28.22
 
5000m
4. Allie Pavone (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) – 20:22.28
 
100m Hurdles
7. Samantha Boyle (Bayville, N.J./Central Regional) – 15.87
9. Isabella Hughes (Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Schuylkill Haven) – 16.36
12. Emily Bozena (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) – 18.35
 
400m Hurdles
6. Isabella Hughes (Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Schuylkill Haven) – 1:14.23
 
4x100 Relay
1. Kutztown – Young, Schearer, Boyle, Smith – 49.78
 
4x400 Relay
1. Kutztown 'A' – Schearer, Smith, Hughes, Coleman – 4:09.00
2. Kutztown 'B' – Spano, Trexler, Wilkins, Tedesco – 4:20.29
5. Kutztown 'C' – Carlson, Stover, McDonnell, Newton – 4:32.37
 
High Jump
8. Emily Bozena (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) – 1.45m
 
Pole Vault
4. Taylor Funk (Denver, Pa./Cocalico) – 3.55m, PSAC Qualifying
5. Natalie Holland (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) – 3.40m, PSAC Qualifying
8. Marissa McNamee (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) – 3.40m, PSAC Qualifying
9. Evelyn Kruczek (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood) – 3.10m
 
Long Jump
11. Samantha Boyle (Bayville, N.J./Central Regional) – 4.79m
 
Shot Put
4. Maria Clark (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) – 11.72m
12. Sofia Beard (York, Pa./Red Lion) – 10.19m
17. Emily Leppert (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) – 8.19m
 
Discus
5. Maria Clark (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) – 37.69m
13. Emily Leppert (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) – 30.99m
 
Hammer
9. Sofia Beard (York, Pa./Red Lion) – 33.28m
 
Javelin
6. Saige Thibodeaux (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker) – 34.14m

 
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Players Mentioned

Sofia Beard

Sofia Beard

Throws
Junior
Faith Belote

Faith Belote

Distance
5' 11"
Freshman
Samantha Boyle

Samantha Boyle

Multi
5' 4"
Freshman
Emily Bozena

Emily Bozena

Hurdles/Jumps
5' 7"
Freshman
Lizzie Brown

Lizzie Brown

Distance
Junior
Aubrey Carlson

Aubrey Carlson

Distance
Freshman
Nina Castellano

Nina Castellano

Distance
Freshman
Maria Clark

Maria Clark

Throws
Sophomore
Sage Dunkleberger

Sage Dunkleberger

Distance
Junior
Taylor Funk

Taylor Funk

Pole Vault
Junior

Players Mentioned

Sofia Beard

Sofia Beard

Junior
Throws
Faith Belote

Faith Belote

5' 11"
Freshman
Distance
Samantha Boyle

Samantha Boyle

5' 4"
Freshman
Multi
Emily Bozena

Emily Bozena

5' 7"
Freshman
Hurdles/Jumps
Lizzie Brown

Lizzie Brown

Junior
Distance
Aubrey Carlson

Aubrey Carlson

Freshman
Distance
Nina Castellano

Nina Castellano

Freshman
Distance
Maria Clark

Maria Clark

Sophomore
Throws
Sage Dunkleberger

Sage Dunkleberger

Junior
Distance
Taylor Funk

Taylor Funk

Junior
Pole Vault
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