Outdoor meet begins new season for IU

After finishing its indoor season tied for eighth place in the country, the IU women's track and field team solidly kicked off its outdoor season over the weekend at three invitationals across the country. Team scores were not recorded.\nSeveral Hoosiers began the season with NCAA Regional qualifying performances while at the Florida Relays in Gainesville, Fla., including the 4x100 relay team of seniors Rachelle Boone, Danielle Carruthers and Rose Richmond and sophomore Ara Towns who took third in the event. Richmond also qualified for regionals in the long jump after winning the event.\nAlso qualifying for regionals were freshman Andrea Dalla Rosa in the shot put and junior Lauren Chesnut who finished fourth in the triple jump. Senior Kelley McKinney had a strong performance in the hammer throw with a ninth place finish.\nSome Hoosiers traveled to the Purdue Invitational, including freshman Kelly Siefker, junior Allyson Hammond and sophomore Larra Overton, who took the top three places respectively in the 1500-meter run. Sophomore Ashley Groth also finished high in her event with a fourth place finish in the 800-meter event.\nSome IU distance runners competed in the Stanford Invitational. Freshman Jessica Gall finished second in her section of the 5000-meter run, and sophomore Julie Shields finished eighth in the same section.\nThe Hoosiers will be back in action next on April 4 and 5 at the Texas Relays in Austin, Texas.