TAMPA, Fla. - The Lynn University women's track & field team opened the outdoor season with a strong showing at the Tampa Spartans Open, highlighted by a podium finish from Jessica Lombardo and strong relay performances, as the Fighting Knights posted multiple personal bests and gained valuable early-season experience across the sprints, middle distance, hurdles and relays.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
100 Meters
- Alaiah Young clocked a 14.36 for 22nd place in her first time running the 100m
 
200 Meters
- Alijah Giustino posted 26.64 for 11th place while Angelina Howard ran 27.24 for 21st place
- Young rounded out the 200m group, finishing the event in 30.45
 
400 Meters
- Rosemary Selke (1:03.11) placed 14th followed by Abigail Brown (1:03.44 - personal best) in 15th and Laila Velasquez in 16th (1:04.68)
 
800 Meters
- Lombardo kicked off her 2026 sophomore campaign with a third-place finish in 2:21.32 (personal best)
- Zoey Hicks also ran the 800, finishing in 16th (2:37.76) followed by Elizabeth O'Brien in 22nd (2:59.71)
 
1500 Meters
- Lynn had a trio compete, led by Annabelle Daley in 14th (5:04.37 - personal best), Lindsey Byer (5:06.52 - personal best) in 15th and Mia Gagliardi (5:18.77) in 25th
 
100m Hurdles
- Brown led Lynn with a 17.64 for seventh (personal best), while Laila Velasquez finished in 19.86 for tenth
 
Relays
- Lynn's Emma Smith, Tamryn Betts, Brown and Giustino combined for a 49.67 finish in the 4x100, placing second overall
- The Lynn women's 4x400-meter relay delivered a podium performance as the A-squad of Giustino, Lombardo, Mira Akan and Tessa Bray finished third overall with a time of 4:04.56, closing out the meet with a strong showing in relay action
 
UP NEXT:
The Fighting Knight track team will be back in action on Friday (Feb. 27) as it heads to Miramar, Fla. for the NSU Alumni Invite.