RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Wisconsin women's track and field team closed out its first outdoor meets of the season Saturday with strong performances at the UC-Riverside Spring Classic and the Aztec Invitational.

Freshman Emma Fitzgerald kicked off the day and her collegiate career on a high note, throwing a school record 170 feet, 6 inches on her third attempt in the javelin at the UC-Riverside Spring Classic to win the event.

Her winning mark was almost seven feet longer than the previous record set by Brianna Bower and also set the meet record by 24 feet. In addition, Fitzgerald leads all NCAA freshmen in the event while her mark ranks seventh among all collegiate throwers.

Fellow freshman Phoebe Edwards placed seventh in the event with a mark of 117-9 ¾.

For the second day in a row sophomore Ebony McClendon won the 100 and 200 meters, this time at the UC-Riverside Spring Classic. The Chicago native ran the 100 meters in 11.81 seconds before setting a personal and meet record in the 200 with a time of 23.68. Freshman Gabby DesRosiers also competed in the 100 and 200, crossing the line in 12.35 and 24.86, respectively.

In the triple jump, freshman Chinne Okoronkwo collected a win with a meet record jump of 41-6 ¾. Her mark ranks fifth all-time at UW.

Senior Brenna Detra also picked up a win at the UC-Riverside Spring Classic in the 400 hurdles, crossing the line in 59.21.

In the 100 hurdles, junior Casie Pawlik ran to a fourth-place finish, clocking in at 14.72. Edwards also competed in the event, placing 12th in 15.48.

Emma Haugen placed third in the high jump at the UC-Riverside Classic, clearing 5-6 ¾.

In San Diego, Taylor Amann tied for third in the pole vault with a mark of 13-0 ¼.
 
A group of Badgers will return to California next weekend for the Stanford Invitational. The meet will take place March 31-April 1.