On the weekend of Feb. 16 and 17, Loyola’s Track & Field team journeyed to the Naval Academy for the Patriot League Championships to close out the indoor track season.
The unofficial star of the Championships was Senna Ohlsson ‘21. Ohlsson’s weekend began with the 4×800 meter relay. The relay team was comprised of Kayleigh Caggiano ‘20, MaryEllen Woods ‘19, Carly Spinnler ‘22, and Ohlsson.
Ohlsson was the anchor of the relay, and when she took the baton the team was in fifth. Once she received the baton, Ohlsson took off and ran the fastest split of the team at 2:07.12.
“By the time I got the baton, the track was just buzzing with people and the sound of footsteps, I lost all of my pre-race nerves and just raced,” Ohlsson said. “The entire time I am counting off people, running through my head who I needed to make sure we would be standing on that podium.”
The team finished second with a time of 8:51.68, a new Loyola record by nearly 13 seconds. The previous record was held by last year’s ECAC Championship team.
The 4×400 meter relay team finished fourth at Patriot Leagues with a time of 3:50.47. The team was comprised of Heather Merrifield ‘20, Molly Smith ‘19, Ohlsson, and Courtney Kenny ‘21. Their time was the third best in Loyola history and the team qualified for the ECAC Championships.
On the second day, Ohlsson became the first Greyhound to win an indoor or outdoor track event at the Patriot League Championships. With a time of 2:11.25—the fourth best time in Loyola history—Ohlsson won first place in the 800 meter. She also qualified for the ECAC Championships with her finish.
“I feel immense pride for this team and how far we have come. This title does not represent my individual performance, but rather, the support, commitment, and resilience that my teammates and coach have dedicated both to me and to this program.” Ohlsson said.
Many other Greyhounds also had great performances at the Patriot League Championships. Caggiano finished seventh in the 1,000 meters with a time of 2:56.09. Tara Ryan ‘20 finished 16th in the 1,000 meters with a time of 3:02.34.
Woods finished tenth in the 800 meters with a time of 2:15.21. Also in the 800 meters, Eve Schoenberg ‘22 finished 16th with a time of 2:20.49, Gabrielle Silvestri ‘21 finished 17th with a time of 2:20.52, and Kate Raggone ‘22 finished 18th with a time of 2:21.95.
At the end of the championships, the Greyhounds finished seventh. Their finish tied the team’s best finish previously recorded last season. With their stellar performances, Ohlsson became the first athlete in Loyola’s track & field history to earn All-Patriot League First Team honors. Woods, Caggiano, and Spinnler joined Ohlsson with All-Patriot League Second Team honors.
“I think this team has a special mentality about racing. We had some all-time best performances at Leagues this year that fueled our excitement and enthusiasm going forward,” Ohlsson said. “I hope we all recognize that we’re not done yet.”
Those who qualified are now looking forward to the ECAC Championships. The Championships will be on March 1.
Feature image by Loyola Athletics
