INDIANAPOLIS - The IU Indianapolis women's track and field team continued to make strides as the Jaguars competed at the Fairgrounds Invitational inside Fall Creek Pavilion on Saturday (Feb. 8). Veteran Ellie Cates won the 3,000m event on Saturday, just missing breaking her own school record in the process. All total, six Jaguars set new personal bests as the indoor slate nears an end. 

Cates spun a time of 9:47.25 in the 3K, cruising to the event win while teammate Julie Smith had a personal best time of 10:17.65 behind her. Senior Laci Provenzano turned in a time of 10:33.51 and freshman Ella Colclesser notched a new personal best time of 10:35.70, taking 15 ticks off her prior best. 

Earlier in the day, Morgan Hoard had a season-best long jump of 5.11m (16' 9.25'') while freshman Pa'Shence Purnell earned a spot in the 60m hurdles finals with a preliminary heat time of 9.05 seconds. Fellow freshman Jahzara McAlister just missed a new personal best in the 60m dash with a time of 8.03 seconds. 

Grace Bragg ran a new personal best mile time of 5:16.30 while Brooke Neal was behind her at 5:21.37. 

Junior Modupe Awosanya led the team's three entries in the 400m event at 59.15 and both Wini Barnett (59.45) and McAlister (59.83) turned in personal best efforts. The 800m event saw Aubrey Nowaskie run a team-best time of 2:18.48 and Julianna Crow took two seconds off her personal record to cross at 2:18.99. 

Journey Howard cleared 1.56m (5' 1.25'') in the high jump and Paige Laffoon had a best effort of 8.91m (29' 2.75'') in the shot put. 

The Jaguars will split efforts next weekend, sending competitors to Grand Valley State and Indiana State.