Capuano, Bitetti Start Track and Field Season Off in Impressive Fashion

BOSTON, Mass. - After earning All-America honors in cross country season by finishing second and 11th, respectively, Natalie Bitetti and Riley Capuano transitioned into track and field season with impressive runs indoors at the Sharon Colyear-Danvile Season Opener on Saturday at Boston University.

Bitetti ran a 16:33.50 in the 5000 meters, which is a faster time than any Athena has ever run the 5K outdoors, with Bryn McKillop holding the program record with a 16:36.17 in 2018. 

Capuano, meanwhile, had the fastest time in the 3000 meters of any Division III runner at the event with a 9:48.52. That time would place fourth on the CMS outdoor list, behind only Brigid Stirling (9:29.98), McKillop (9:39.04) and Gwynn Hardesty (9:42.46). 

Elle Marsyla also competed in the 5000 meters and finished in 17:09.52, which would place ninth on the CMS outdoor list. Mason Ratkovich ran a 8:19.90 in the 3000 meters on the men's side. 

All four distance runners who competed in Boston will hope that their times hold up for qualification to the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships in March. 

The Sharon Colyear-Danvile Season Opener will be the only action for the CMS track and field teams before the new year, when it will ramp back up again beginning with the host OIDFE Challenge on January 27 at the Burns Track Complex.