RALEIGH, NC -- University of Delaware senior Sam MacKenzie (at right) led all Blue Hen finishers with a third place finish in the men’s 1,500 meters and senior Casey Bennett (at right) paced the UD women with a fifth place finish in the pole vault to highlight performances at the season-opening Raleigh Outdoor Track and Field Relays Friday and Saturday at North Carolina State’s Paul Derr Stadium.

MacKenzie (Newark, DE/Groton Central, NY HS), a graduate student and first-year transfer from Cornell, led all Blue Hen competitors at the two-day meet as he finished third overall in the 1,500 meters with a time of 3:50.77, the second best time in school history.

Bennett (Shelton, CT/Shelton HS), last year’s Colonial Athletic Association pole vault champion, picked up where she left off last year as she placed fifth in the event with a leap of 11-3 3/4.

The Delaware men posted eight top 20 finishes as Brad Dodson was sixth in the 1,500 meters (3:52.72), Will Jurkowski was sixth in the 800 meters (1:53.73), Kyle Schmid was sixth in the 5,000 meters (15:05.52), Jared Wasser was 14th in the shot put (47-9 3/4) and also placed 25th in the hammer throw (133-8), the 4 x 200 meter relay was 14th (1:33.03), the sprint medley relay placed 19th (3:40.53), and the 4 x 100 meter relay was 20th (43.53).

On the women’s side, the Blue Hens registered eight top 20 finishes as Rachel Young was 13th in the shot put (42-8) and also 30th in the hammer (128-7), Alexi Capsouras was 14th in the 400 meter hurdles (1:04.62) and also 36th in the 110 meter hurdles (15.45), the 4 x 800 meter relay (9:52.12), sprint medley relay (4:20.63), and 4 x 100 meter relay (49.24) all placed 15th, the 4 x 1,500 meter relay placed 16th (20:51.97), and the 4 x 200 meter relay was 17th (1:45.13).

AGATE:

Raleigh Relays at North Carolina State

University of Delaware Women Competitors: 5th- Casey Bennett, pole vault (11-3\ 3/4); 13th - Rachel Young, shot put (42-8); 14th - Alexi Capsouras, 400m hurdles (1:04.62); 15th - 4 x 800m relay (9:52.12); 4 x 100m relay (49.24); Sprint Medley Relay (4:20.63); 16th - 4 x 1,500m Relay (20:51.97); 17th - 4 x 200m relay (1:45.13); 22nd- Allison Behrle, 5,000m unseeded (19:10.41); 23rd - Amanda Marshall, shot put (40 3/4); 26th - Stephanie Cronk, discus (123-1); 28th - Paula Green, 100m (12.64); 29th - Michelle Gomes, 100m (12.66); 30th - Rachel Young, hammer (128-7); 31st - Julia Somers, 5,000m seeded (17:54.46); 33rd - Stephanie Cronk, hammer (124-2); Daniella Price, 100m (12.76); 36th - Alexi Capsouras, 100m hurdles (15.45); 53rd - Brittany Wright, 100m (13.06); 57th - Asha Quant, 100m (13.14); 65th - Asha Quant, 400m (1:06.12); 66th- Jessica Leitsch, 1,500m (5:11.68); 67th - Meghan Weaver, 1,500m (5:13.25); 68th - Toni Riggi, 1,500m (5:14.20).