BOSTON – Fifth-year senior Zoe Barnes (New Gloucester, Maine/Gray-New Gloucester) of the University of Southern Maine women's track & field team placed first in the shot put on Sunday at the DIII New England Championships with a throw of 13.83m. Barnes is the first Husky to win the DIII New England title in the event and the first to win an indoor event title since Adela Kalilwa in the triple jump in 2020. She also placed fifth in the weight throw with a mark of 15.61m.
 
Southern Maine recorded 24 points to place 10th in the team standings.
 
Senior Alexis Karantza (Westbrook, Maine) earned the Huskies five points in the team standings after running the second-fastest 600-meter time in program history at 1:36.88 to place fourth. Senior Jaigan Boudreau (Dayton, Maine/Thornton Academy) placed fourth in the shot put with a mark of 12.79m to earn four points for the Huskies as well.
 
Senior Janiah Young (Perkinsville, Vt./Windsor) also recorded a top five time in program history after clocking in at 25.08 seconds in the 200 meters. Her time ranks fourth in team history and placed her ninth at the event.
 
 
Track Event Highlights:

• The 4x400 relay team of Young, freshman Addy Burkhardt (Lisbon Falls, Maine/Lisbon), sophomore Mya Austin (Sumner, Maine/Buckfield) and Karantza placed 12th with a season-best time of 4:02.65.
• The 4x800 relay team of sophomore Meghan Przybilla (St. Anthony, Minn./St. Anthony Village), senior AnnMarie Limberger (Vassalboro, Maine/Waterville), senior Whitney Davenport (Westbrook, Maine) and Anabel Melanson (West Warren, Mass./Quaboag) placed 17th with a season-best time of 10:05.80.
• Junior Gwen Catalano (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) placed 22nd in the 5000 meters with a time of 18:48.68.
• Burkhardt placed 22nd in the 400 meters with a time of 1:01.14.

 
Field Event Highlights:

• Barnes placed fifth in the weight throw with a mark of 15.61m.
• Freshman Emma O'Brien (Aurora, Colo./Eaglecrest) placed 18th in the pole vault with a mark of 3.20m. Senior Riley Reitchel (Palermo, Maine/Erskine Academy) also cleared 3.20m and placed 20th.
• Sophomore Khalysa Hammith (Windham, Maine) placed 20th in the long jump with a mark of 5.01m.

Up Next:
Qualified members of the team will compete at the New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association (NEICAAA) Championships at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Boston on March 6-7.