WESTFIELD, Mass. 4/28/12 – The Keene State College women's track and field team finished third at the Little East Conference Championships at Westfield State on Saturday afternoon. Seniors Andrea Walsh (Bolton, Conn.) and Paige Mills (Keene, N.H.), junior Maggie Fitter (Branford, Conn.) and sophomore Kristen Huckins (Westmoreland, N.H.) each took home individual titles, as the Owls scored 116 points in the LEC standings.

Walsh took home the first victory for the Owls, earning first place in the 3,000 meter steeplechase in a time of 10:57.65. Also scoring for KSC in the event, freshman Kaley Mientkiewicz (Hanson, Mass.) finished third in 12:00.44.

Later in the day Mills won the 5,000 meter race in a time of 17:36.62 to score another 10 points for the Owls. Mills, the local Keene, N.H. product, also placed 2nd in the 1,500 meter race, in a time of 4:50.17.

Fitter earned KSC's third victory of the day in the 800 meter race in a time of 2:16.10, while also placing third behind Mills in the 1,500 meters in 4:51.05.

Huckins took home the Owls' only other victory of the day, as she threw the javelin 118'-1'' to earn her first Little East Championship.

Also having a solid day on the track, freshman Melanie Escalante (New Canaan, Conn.) placed third in the 400 meters (60.84) and 400 meter hurdles (69.73). In the field events, freshmen Samantha Folland (Newfields, N.H.) and Courtney Hartwell (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) placed third and fourth in the discus, with both hitting 118'-6''.

KSC totaled 116 points to finish behind Southern Maine (214) and UMass Dartmouth (124).

The track team will return to action on Friday and Saturday, as they will head to Division III New England Championships at M.I.T.