ROCHESTER, NY – Sophomore Karis Kraf had an outstanding day on the first weekend of the 2025-26 season for the Roberts Wesleyan University Women's Track and Field team as she set a new career best in the pole vault in Ohio while a majority of the team competed in the season-opening Nazareth University Alumni Opener.

Kraf won the Youngstown University Ice Breaker meet as she set a new PR and set an Icebreaker meet record with a winning mark of 4.11 meters (13' 5 ¾"). Kraf passed to the 12' 9" bar and cleared the first two heights with her first attempt at each. She passed on the next bar and cleared the 4.11 meter bar on her first attempt again. As the lone competitor remaining, she passed a pair of bars to make a run to the 14' bar but missed on her three attempts.

Sophomore Kennedy Benjamins placed ninth overall in her first meet as a Redhawk as she cleared 3.70 meters (12' 1 ½"). Freshman Natalie Murray finished 12th overall as she cleared 3.55 meters (11' 7 ¾") in her first collegiate meet.

A few distance runners also ran at Youngstown with freshman Michaela Goettel leading the way in both the 800 meters and the mile as she placed 12th in the 800 with a time of 2:27.04 and a ninth-place finish in the mile with her time of 5:24.63. Sophomore Evelyn Schmit led the Redhawks in the 5K race with a 10th place finish and a time of 18:14.30.            

At Nazareth, senior Rachel Horner-Richardson won the 3K race with a personal best time of 10:17.62 and classmate Kaitlyn Goodwin also hit a personal best with her sixth-place finish in 11:57.42.

Sophomores Sarah Ouelette and Molly Winger finished second and third in the pole vault as each cleared the 3.47-meter (11' 4 1/2") bar while junior Cora Seaburg and graduate student Alivia Silvestri placed fourth and fifth as they each cleared the 3.17 meter (10' 4 3/4") bar.

Sophomore Madelyn Rutledge had a pair of solid finishes in the Triple Jump (5th /11.61 meters (34' 9 ¾")) and the Long Jump (14th / 5.08 meters (16' 8")).