COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Union College women's outdoor track & field team earned four points on day one of the All-Atlantic Region Track & Field Conference Championships, held at Ursinus College's Patterson Field on Wednesday afternoon.
 
The Garnet Chargers finished their first day in a tie for 23th place with their four points, as Union scored in its only final of the day to go with two preliminary-round heats.
 
First-year Eilis McKenna earned the first points of the weekend for Union in the 3000-meter steeplechase, taking fifth place out of 16 runners and shaving over 13 seconds off her season-best time with a 11:38.94 finish that vastly improved on her 14th seed in the event. After sitting 15th after the first lap and a half, she made a move into eighth place over the next 400 meters and continued her climb from there, increasing her position by one spot in each of the final two laps.
 
Junior Ashley Sheldon started off the day by assuring herself of competing in two events during tomorrow's second day, thanks to qualifying for the finals of the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.85 seconds. The junior grabbed the eighth and final qualifying spot in the field of 30, taking second in her heat. She will run the 100 hurdles final and compete in the high jump tomorrow.
 
Junior Kat Doran closed out her outdoor season in the 100-meter dash, as the school record holder placed 37th in a time of 12.83 seconds.
 
Union will compete in five more events on tomorrow's second and final day of the AARTFC Championships, which will begin at 10 a.m.