BOURBONNAIS, Ill. --- Led by the meet's Outstanding Track Event Performer in Sabrina Baftiri, University of St. Francis' women's track & field team came away with a runner up finish at the 2022 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships over the weekend. 

Olivet Nazarene University claimed the team title for the second year in a row by totaling 293 points. St. Francis tallied 189.5 points followed by Saint Xavier University with 85.5 points. 

Baftiri captured the top individual track honor by winning two events and finishing second in one other race. She won both the 1,000 meter and mile races, while placing second in the 800 meter event for a total of 28 points.

Baftiri hit the NAIA "A" standard mark in the 1,000 meter run by finishing in 2:59.31, while gaining the same rating in the mile run with her 5:08.03. Laisha Corona was right on Baftiri's heels in both races. She also authored "A" times with her 3:00.31 in the 1,000-meter run and 5:08.38 in the mile race.

Other individual titles were secured by Mara Bruno in the long jump (17 feet, 1.5 inches), Ana Mendoza Pineda in the 800 meter race (2:21.25), Daly Galloway in the 3,000 meter event (10:10.43), and Katherine Bakken in the 5,000 meter race. Bakken's time of 17:24.18 established a new conference record and qualified as an "A" standard.
Galloway also recorded an "A" standard with her victory in the 3,000.

Bruno was the second-leading scorer on the team totaling 21 points on her own and six as part of USF's third place finisher in the 4x400 meter relay race, which included Shyasia Baker, Gianna Trenter, and Claire Roberts. They combined for a time of 4:19.42. Besides winning the long jump, Bruno scored in the 60, 200, and 400 meter dashes. 

Pineda matched Corona's 16 points by adding a third-place finish in the mile with her "B" mark of 5:10.96 on top of her 800 meter championship.

USF's other "A" mark over the weekend came from Bailey Wilk, who came in second in the 3,000 meter race behind Galloway at 10:27.16. 

Allison Ramsey hit the "B" standard in the 1,000 meter and mile events with her third and fourth place finishes. She posted times of 3:02.55 and 5:13.76, respectively.

USF's other runner-up finishes were recorded by Talia Jones-Wright (7.89 seconds/60 meter dash) and the 4x800 meter relay team of Wilk, Olivia Bukowski, Roberts, and Veronica Navarrete, which authored a time of 9:55.41.

Earning all conference commendations were Baftiri three times, Bruno, Corona, Ramsey, Roberts, Wilk, and Pineda twice each and Jones-Wright, Baker, Trenter, Bukowski, Galloway and Bakken one time. To be named all conference, an individual has to finish among the top three finishers in an event.

Other scorers for the Saints included Megan Krisch, Alyssa Dolan, Teghan Tillman, Evelyn Odum, Rosita Ponce, Alexia Bibakis, Kelsey Rice, Hannah Berdahl, and Deann Fry.

Up Next
Select members of the St. Francis program will compete at the NAIA Indoor National Championships March 2-5 in Brookings, S. Dakota on the campus of South Dakota State University.

You can keep up with everything happening around USF Athletics on Twitter @USFSaints.