MIDLOTHIAN, VA – Sophomore Jadyn Mullen and freshman Jenna Maendel earned top-50 finishes to lead the Roberts Wesleyan Triathlon team to a ninth-place overall team finish and third among Division II squads at the Robious Landing Triathlon Sunday morning in Virginia.
The race was adjusted due to the damage the area suffered from the remnants of Hurricane Helene and the swim portion of the race was eliminated. As a result, the race was a 1-mile run, a 20-kilometer bike and a 5K run.
East Tennessee State was the top team followed by Wingate, Duquesne, Navy, Delaware State, Wagner, Eastern Mennonite, King University and Roberts Wesleyan in ninth. The Redhawks finished ahead of Gallaudet, Newberry, Hampton, Greensboro College, St. Thomas Aquinas and Warren Wilson.
Mullen led the Redhawks as she captured 37th place with a combined time of 1:07:03.63 and Maendel was less than three minutes behind in 45th position with a time of 1:09.49.98.
Junior Joane Arzalluz Garzon was next in 53rd with a time of 1:14:14.76 and freshman Paige Kern rounded out the Roberts finishers in 60th position with her time of 1:20:11.12.
"The team did extremely well under hazardous conditions," said Head Coach Tom Giannettino. "The field was full of really fast and skilled athletes and we blended right in, fought hard and finished strong."
The next event for Roberts will be the NCAA Collegiate East Region Qualifier October 12 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
