EMMITSBURG, MD – The Iona University women's outdoor track and field team opened competition at the 2026 MAAC Championships Saturday at Morgan Track with a silver medal performance in the javelin and seven qualifiers advancing to Sunday's event finals.
 
Junior Tyaja Thomas earned silver in the javelin throw and the Gaels qualified five athletes in the 1,500-meter run and two in the 800-meter run for Sunday's finals.
 

JAVELIN THROW - THOMAS

Thomas captured the silver medal with a personal-best throw of 45.90 meters, finishing just two inches shy of the conference title. The junior improved her previous best by seven inches in the runner-up performance.  It was the first MAAC medal of her career.
 

1,500-METER RUN PRELIMS

Junior Tayla Gunton posted the fastest preliminary time at 4:33.28 to advance to Sunday's final. Gunton's performance moved her into the top 25 in program history and marked a 10-second personal best.
 
Freshman Kiera Atkinson also advanced after placing second in 4:33.83, finishing less than two-tenths of a second off her personal-best time from earlier this season. Freshman Alex Schulz qualified in fifth place with a time of 4:40.23 and senior Maya Todd McIntyre advanced after finishing seventh in 4:41.01.
 
Freshman Kayleigh Atkinson secured the fifth Iona qualifying spot with a personal-best 4:43.28 to place 12th.
 

800-METER RUN PRELIMS

Freshman Arabella Dickfos advanced to the final with a third-place finish in 2:15.81. Freshman Sofia Lumbreras also qualified after placing 11th in 2:18.21.
 
Freshman Gabby Carroll finished 18th in 2:22.38.
 

3,000-METER STEEPLECHASE

Junior McKenna Arguien placed fifth in 11:15.04 to earn four points toward the team score.
 
Freshman Sarah Wisnieski finished ninth in 11:46.25 and junior Alexa Doe placed 11th in 11:56.37.
 

10,000-METER RUN

Sophomore Muireann Duffy finished seventh in 38:28.54 to score two team points for the Gaels.
 

400-METER RUN PRELIMS

Senior Nadine Jefremow placed 16th in 58.69 and freshman Kaleigh Murphy finished 38th in 1:07.23.
 

LONG JUMP

Freshman Alexa Hermanns posted a season-best mark of 4.91 meters to finish 23rd, improving her previous top effort by 4.5 inches.
 

200-METER DASH PRELIMS

Jefremow recorded a personal-best time of 26.26 to place 33rd, improving her previous best by .05 seconds.
 
Murphy finished 39th in 27.15 and Hermanns placed 41st in 27.63.
 

100-METER DASH PRELIMS

Hermanns finished 35th with a time of 13.37.
 

IONA PERFORMERS

100 prelim: Alexa Hermanns, 35th, 13.37. 200 prelim: Nadine Jefremow, 33rd, 26.26; Kaleigh Murphy, 39th, 27.15; Alexa Hermanns, 41st, 27.63. 400 prelim: Nadine Jefremow, 16th, 58.69; Kaleigh Murphy, 38th, 1:07.23. 800 prelim: Arabella Dickfos, 3rd, 2:15.81; Sofia Lumbreras, 11th, 2:18.21; Gabby Carroll, 18th, 2:22.38. 1500 prelim: Tayla Gunton, 1st, 4:33.28; Kiera Atkinson, 2nd, 4:33.83; Alex Schulz, 5th, 4:40.23; Maya Todd McIntyre, 7th, 4:41.01; Kayleigh Atkinson, 12th, 4:43.28. 10000: Muireann Duffy, 7th, 38:28.54. 3000ch: McKenna Arguien, 5th, 11:15.04; Sarah Wisnieski, 9th, 11:46.25; Alexa Doe, 11th, 11:56.37. Javelin: Tyaja Thomas, 2nd, 45.90m. Long Jump: Alexa Hermanns, 23rd, 4.91m.
 

UP NEXT

Iona is back in action tomorrow for the final day of the 2026 MAAC Championships.
 

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