PHILADELPHIA, PA - Eight members of the Iona University men's and women's outdoor track teams competed in four events on the first day of the 2023 Penn Relays at historic Franklin Field.

MEN'S 5000-METER RUN

Junior Joshua DeSouza was the Maroon & Gold's top finisher, earning fifth place in the College Men's 5,000-meter Championship in 13:50.57. It was his first outdoor 5k event of the season and second fastest time while at Iona. DeSouza was fifth in his heat which saw the top 13 times overall. Freshman Tadhg Donnelly was the heat three winner and finished 17th overall, posting 14:08.08, a 35 second improvement from his outdoor 5k debut in Raleigh last month. Freshman Tristan Coles made his outdoor 5k debut, finishing in 14:41.71 (59th).

MEN'S 1,500-METER RUN

Freshman Aiden Coles was the Gaels lone performer in the College Men's 1,500-meter Championship, posting a 3:47.08 (19th). He finished third in his heat, less than a second behind the top finisher from Boston University. Coles earned his season best time, by nearly a second set a month ago at the Raleigh Relays and cracked the Top 25 on Iona's all-time performance list.

MEN'S 10,000-METER RUN

Junior Peter Schulten posted a 30:40.75 in the College Men's 10,000m Championship, good for 12th place. It was a 25-second personal best for the third year performer, following his performance in the 10k at the 2022 MAAC Championships. Freshman Scott Fagan finished 18th in 32:03.35 in his outdoor collegiate 10k debut.

WOMEN'S 5,000-METER RUN

Sophomore Holly Smith ran a personal best time of 16:45.14 in the College Women's 5000-meter Championship, earning 39th place overall in the 69-runner race field. It was her first sub-17-minute 5k time, besting her previous mark set at the Stanford Invitational in 2021. Junior Madison Klein was 41st overall, also setting a personal best with a 16:47.15. She topped her previous best time by 16 seconds from two weeks ago in Providence. Smith and Klein finished back to back in ninth and 10 in the third heat and their times rank 12th and 14th on Iona's all-time performance list.

IONA PERFORMERS

Men's 1500: Aiden Coles, 19th, 3:47.08. Men's 5k: Joshua DeSouza, 5th, 13:50.57; Tadhg Donnelly, 17th, 14:08.08; Tristan Coles, 59th, 14:41.71. Men's 10k: Peter Schulten, 12th, 30:40.75; Scott Fagan, 18th, 32:03.35. Women's 5k: Holly Smith, 39th, 16:45.14; Madison Klein, 41st, 16:47.15.

UP NEXT

The Gaels continue action at Penn Relays with sophomore Kedarjah Lewis in the long jump Friday, and the quartet of juniors Nick Soldevere and Matt Rankin, sophomore Damien Dilcher and senior Mael Gouyette competing in the College Men's 4xMile Championship of America Saturday.

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