Freshman records fall as Eagles wrap up Boston trip
BOSTON, Mass.—Senior Audrey Comastri posted a new personal-best and freshmen Hadessah Austin and Abrielle Richard broke two more freshmen records as University of Southern Indiana Women’s Track & Field wrapped up the Boston University David Hemery Valentine Invitational Saturday.
Comastri posted the fastest mile time in the Ohio Valley Conference as she crossed the finish line in four minutes, 51.12 seconds. Her time ranks third all-time at USI and is less than five seconds off USI’s all-time indoor record of 4:46.44, set by USI Hall of Famer Heather Cooksey in 2004.
One of Cooksey’s mile records did fall Saturday as Richard broke the Screaming Eagles’ freshman record with her time of 4:57.74. Cooksey held the freshman record for more than 20 years after setting the mark with her time of 4:58.09 at the 2003 NCAA II Indoor Championships.
Richard, the reigning OVC Freshman and Track Athlete of the Week, broke the school and freshman indoor 800-meter record last week at the Eastern Indoors.
Austin obliterated the former freshmen record in the 5,000 meters with her OVC-best time of 16:28.57. She was less than a second off the all-time indoor school record, which was set by Jennifer Comastri (16:27.76) at the 2021 NCAA II Indoor Championships.
Senior Cameron Hough had the previous freshmen records in both the 3,000 and the 5,000 meters, but Austin’s performance at the Lenny Lyles Invite set a new indoor 3k freshman record, while her effort in the 5,000 meters Saturday was nearly 30 seconds faster than Hough’s previous mark (16:55.89).
Austin now ranks first in the OVC in both the 3,000 meters and the 5,000 meters. In addition to Comastri and Austin sitting atop their respective events, Richard also ranks first in the OVC in the 800 meters.
The Eagles return to action February 25-26 when they compete at the OVC Indoor Championships at the Indiana Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion in Indianapolis.
