Branford's Bridget Wirtz Earns Track And Field Accolades

Bridget Wirtz of Branford, Conn., Earns All-New England Division III Track & Field Accolades

WORCESTER, MA -- Bridget Wirtz was one of 11 WPI women's track & field student-athletes to have earned All-New England honors this past weekend.

Full Recap

Senior Carley Dykstra, junior Sydney Packard and sophomore Katy Nippert each won an individual title as the WPI women's track & field team placed eighth at the 2019 NCAA Division III New England Championships hosted by Bowdoin. It is the best team finish since tying for eighth at the 2003 meet while the 44.5 points is the most in program history.

Williams won the team title with 140 points as MIT was second (87.5), Tufts was third (67), Middlebury was fourth (57) and the host Polar Bears were fifth (52). Rhode Island College and Wesleyan tied for sixth (48), and WPI finished a half point ahead of Coast Guard.

Dykstra secured the pole vault title with a clearance of 12-2 while Packard claimed the 800-meter run in a new Farley Field House record time of 2:12.87 and Nippert leaped 18-3 for top billing in the long jump.

The pole vault also saw freshman Bridget Wirtz tie for sixth with an 11-2.25. Both the 4x400m and 4x800m relays placed fourth as freshman Janelle Knight, sophomore Arden Tanner, senior Michelle Gencorelli and Nippert clocked a season-best 1:46.79 and sophomore Keely Nistler, junior Callie Schadt, sophomore Lauren Kaija and Nippert posted a 9:36.03.
Senior Xandria Korn cleared 5-2.25 to place sixth in the high jump.