Four Program Records Set In Army Loss to Navy

ANNAPOLIS, MD. – Despite another record setting effort by senior Calli McMullen, the Army West Point women’s track and field team fell to rival Navy in the women’s indoor Star Meet in Annapolis on Saturday.

Army and Navy split the events with eight wins apiece, but Navy was able to claim the Star with depth, outpointing the Cadets 93-80. The win is Navy’s first in the women’s indoor Star Meet since 2014 and extends Navy’s lead in the 2019-20 Star Series presented by USAA to 10-3-1.

McMullen continued her historic senior season by breaking two of her own Academy records, first with a blazing 7.51 time in the 60 meter dash and later by posting the first sub-24 second time in the 200 meter dash in Army history with her 23.82 mark. She has now set new marks in four different events this season. The time was also the best ever recorded at Navy’s Wesley A. Brown Field House.

In addition to McMullen, two other Cadets set Academy high marks in the meet. Freshman Saydee Aganus posted a new Academy mark in the 60 meter hurdles with a 8.71 mark. The record was previously set by teammate Lynne Mooradian at the Army-Navy meet in 2018. Anna Tovkach etched her name atop the 500 meter list with a time of 1:13.24 in her second place finish, breaking a record that stood since 2013.

The Cadets now have two meets to regroup before the Patriot League Championships. They will return to action next weekend at the David Hemery Valentine Invite at Boston University.

Head Coach Mike Smith said, “Things didn’t go our way today. Navy was pretty balanced and we were not. We had our fair share of wins, but we couldn’t make things happen with the second and third place finishes. The final outcome really only came down to two or events. If we caught a few more breaks, we would be leaving here with a different outcome.”

Smith continued, “The intensity of the meet is incredible and the performances matched that intensity. We set four school records today. I continue to marvel at the level these kids can reach in this meet. Two schools, six in each event and there are no easy wins. It is not just the fact that people set personal records, they are putting up marks that are the best ever in program history; that is truly remarkable. Saydee Aganus set a school record in the 60 meter hurdles. She came out of the blocks really well and kept attacking hurdles. It was a great performance. Anna Tovkach ran the fastest 500 meter race in Academy history and came up just short of the win. The other two program best marks today came from Calli McMullen. She won both the 60 and the 200 and both marks were program bests. The 200 time that she ran obliterated the record that she set 2 weeks ago up in Boston. She continues to amaze. The records are nice but they don’t ease the sting of losing. Most of these kids would trade a win for the marks any day.

“We are a strong conference level team. We have three weeks to regroup and get ready for that challenge. I told our team that Navy got today but they aren’t entitled to tomorrow.”

Event Winners:
Women’s 60m Dash: Calli McMullen – 7.51 (Program Record)
Women’s 60m Hurdles: Saydee Aganus – 8.71 (Program Record)
Women’s 200m Dash: Calli McMullen – 23.82 (Program Record)
Women’s Mile: Samantha Coletti – 4:51.38
Women’s 1000m: Madeline Magoto – 2:54.47
Women’s Shot Put: Emily Mikoud – 14.06m
Women’s Long Jump: Brianna White – 5.81m
Women’s High Jump: Olivia Gervan – 1.63m