UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.—Villanova recorded a trove of conference top-eight marks for the season to go along with personal best times and other notable performances at the Penn State National Open on Friday night. Among the Wildcats who moved up on the year's BIG EAST leaderboard were first year collegians Rosie Shay (Middletown, N.J.) and Bella Walsh (Middletown, Del.) who have been among the top first year runners in the country this season. Senior thrower Alex Payne (Silverdale, Wash.) recorded the seventh-longest mark in school history in the weight throw in another of the team's strong results at the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track.
 
A trio of Villanova middle distance runners had excellent results in the mile, led by Shay who produced a lifetime PR of 4:45.57. That time ranks her 14^th nationally among freshman runners this season based on the Division I descending order list entering this week's competitions. Shay ranks eighth overall in the BIG EAST for the season and is the top newcomer on the conference performance list, less than two-tenths of a second ahead of Walsh who ran 4:45.75 at the Penn 10 Elite last week. In Friday's action, Shay was followed across the finish line by sixth year veteran Maggie Smith (Halifax, NS) with a time of 4:46.08 and sophomore Tilly O'Connor (Spring Lake, N.J.) who established a new PR of 4:48.68.
 
Walsh led three Wildcats in the 800 meters with a time of 2:10.24, followed closely by senior Alex Stasichin (Massapequa, N.Y.) who posted a time of 2:10.71. Those marks become the third- and fourth-fastest times in the BIG EAST this season pending the outcome of other meets this weekend. Walsh also ranks 11^th nationally among freshmen with her mark, the latest in a string of strong races which have showcased Walsh's talent and versatility in her first three indoor collegiate races. Her results prior to this week included a time of 2:50.62 in the 1000 meters and last week's 4:45.75 mile time.
 
Sophomore sprinters Ajanae Thompson (Rahway, N.J.) and Olivia Allen (Kingwood, Texas) had standout performances in the 60 meter hurdles and the 400 meters, respectively. Thompson advanced to the final in the hurdles and moved up from seventh in the preliminary heats (8.55) to fifth in the final with a season best time of 8.52. She already ranked second in the BIG EAST this season. Allen posted a personal best time of 57.00 in the 400 meters to surge into seventh place on the conference performance list.
 
Payne competed in the weight throw for the second straight week as she gets her season into full swing. She threw for 17.33 meters on Friday, good for the seventh-longest mark in the Villanova record book and moving her into second in the BIG EAST this season. Payne is ranked second in school history in the weight throw and – with Friday's performance – has recorded six of the longest throws in the program record book.
 
Competition at the Penn State National Open continues on Saturday morning with the unseeded sections of the 600 meters starting at 10:15 a.m., while the final event of the day is the 4x400 meter relay at 4:20 p.m.