MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (March 25, 2017) – Due to weather, the opening meet of the outdoor season was moved indoors at Wesleyan on Saturday, but the Franklin Pierce University women's track & field team made the best of things anyway, piling up 17 top-five finishes at the Wesleyan Spring Classic.

Freshman Catherine Purves (Dalkeith, Scotland) led the way with a double for the Ravens on Saturday. She was victorious in both the 200-meter dash (26.22) and the 60-meter hurdles (8.96). Purves' time in the 60-meter hurdles established a new program record.

Four other Ravens posted a pair of top-five finishes each on the day. Senior Nicole Galewski (Whitman, Mass.) picked up a win in the long jump (5.15m) and added a third-place finish in the 200-meter dash (27.12). Freshman Ayodele O'uhuru (Montvale, N.J.) took home a win in the 100-meter dash (13.03) and finished fourth in the 200-meter dash (27.27). Senior Breigh Souliere (Cumberland, R.I.) finished second in the 60-meter hurdles (9.56), as well as fifth in the 100-meter dash (13.81). Meanwhile, senior Samantha Toscano (Northwood, N.H.) placed second in the long jump (5.04m) and third in the 100-meter dash (13.64).

Galewski and Purves both also factored into a second-place finish for the 4x400-meter relay squad. A lineup of Galewski, junior Alexa Cassara (Bay Shore, N.Y.), junior Danielle Crawford (Lowell, Mass.) and Purves turned in a time of 4:24.09.

In all, Franklin Pierce was dominant in a number of events on Saturday in the Nutmeg State. The Ravens had the top two finishers in the long jump, took three of the top four places in the 200-meter dash and the 60-meter hurdles, and had three of the top five finishers in both the 200-meter dash and the 5000 meters.

Six other Ravens posted a single top-five finish at the meet, including the trio of runners in the top-five of the 5000 meters: freshman Julia Cormier (Northwood, N.H.) in second (20:02.29), freshman Rebecca Zylak (Goffstown, N.H.) in fourth (20:19.63) and junior Natalie Davies (Ware, Mass.) in fifth (20:24.84). Elsewhere, freshman Meghan Tarr (Atkinson, N.H.) finished third in the 800 meters (2:36.73), freshman Olivia Mabbett (Milford, N.H.) placed fourth in the high jump (1.43m) and freshman Eileen Savinelli (Goffstown, N.H.) took fourth in the 60-meter hurdles (10.26).

The Ravens return to action on Saturday, April 1, when they travel to the CGA Spring Invitational, hosted by the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce track and field apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' brand new online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).