Track and Field 3/19/2026 11:07:00 PM Matt McIntosh '23

Hornets Begin Outdoor Season at Day One of Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The Shenandoah University outdoor track and field teams began their season at day one of the three-day Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational on Thursday.

Eleven different Hornets were in action on the first day of competition, with 10 of them setting personal records. Makenna Thrush led the women's side with a first place finish in the 10,000m, while Will Ashley moved up in the men's record book in the same event on the men's side.

Thrush won her event with a time of 39:55.23, which broke her previous best by 1:51.21. The distance runner also outran second place by just over 88 seconds. In the same race, Cora Helman and Sarah Lane finished in seventh and eighth, respectively, with the same time of 43:26.39, surpassing both of their PRs.

In the men's 10k, Ashley wrapped up the race in fourth with a time of 32:47.11, setting the third-best all-time mark for the SU men. Brayden Shotwell came in one spot behind Ashley, crossing the finish line at 33:00.78.

In the field, Luke Jacobs, Sawyer Paine, and Grady Speer each competed and broke PRs in the men's hammer throw. Speer had the best finish of the event for the Hornets, placing in the middle of the 61-man field with a throw of 38.95m, breaking his previous best by 2.03m. Jacobs placed 43rd at 33.13m, and Paine rounded out the Hornets with a 27.40m throw for 56th.

Elaina Ramos was the only Hornet to partake in the women's open long jump. The first-year jumped 4.69m for fourth.

Molly Donaldson and Kaitlyn Loy represented SU in the women's javelin throw. Donaldson threw a 29.98m mark for 21st and Loy placed 37th with her distance of 17.91m.

UP NEXT

The Hornets compete in day two of the invitational tomorrow, starting with men's and women's seeded long jump at 11 a.m.

#GoSUHornets

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Players Mentioned

Will Ashley: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Cora Helman: 5' 3"; Senior

Luke Jacobs: 6' 0"; Sophomore

Sarah Lane: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Kaitlyn Loy: 5' 4"; Junior

Brayden Shotwell: 5' 9"; Sophomore

Grady Speer: 6' 0"; Sophomore

Elaina Ramos: 5' 2"; First Year

Sawyer Paine: 5' 9"; First Year

Molly Donaldson: 5' 8"; First Year

Players Mentioned

Will Ashley
: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Cora Helman
: 5' 3"; Senior

Luke Jacobs
: 6' 0"; Sophomore

Sarah Lane
: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Kaitlyn Loy
: 5' 4"; Junior

Brayden Shotwell
: 5' 9"; Sophomore

Grady Speer
: 6' 0"; Sophomore

Elaina Ramos
: 5' 2"; First Year

Sawyer Paine
: 5' 9"; First Year

Molly Donaldson
: 5' 8"; First Year

UP NEXT

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned

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