Seton Hall University's Women's cross country team wrapped up its spring season Saturday and Nyala Eddings set a record at the All-American meet hosted by East Stroudsburg University.
Participating in the 800-meter run, Eddings, a senior, finished with a time of 2:14.59.
That not only was the fastest time among the 29 runners, but the fastest in the meet's history. Eddings said she enjoyed ending her career at Seton Hall with a win.
"I really tried not to think about my last opportunity to represent coach (John) Moon," she said.
"After crossing the line in the 800-meter this weekend, I was genuinely happy that I was able to go out with a bang...The meet record was simply a plus."
Eddings nearly swept the event this year, winning four out of the five 800-meters she raced in. She has been leading the Hall all year, as she led in eight of the nine meets she participated in in the fall, including the Big East Championship.
Junior Mary Migton also came away with a win on Saturday in the 3,000-meter run. With a time of 10:34.69 she finished just ahead of another fellow Pirate. Freshman Desyre Blackburn finished second in the race with a time of 10:53.26.
In the 4x400 relay Eddings and Migton joined freshman Holli Rolle and junior Allyson Guieb. The four combined for a time of 4:11.45, placing in fourth.
"Spectacular, superb," Moon said when describing his team's performance Saturday. "It was just fantastic the way they came together. It was a pleasure sitting there seeing the team in action."
"We showed mass improvement since last year," Moon said. "Many runners set new personal bests, so that is a good indication. I'm very proud, we put our best foot forward. The team improved as a whole."
The season opened in Galloway, N.J., as the Pirates took part in the Stockton Invitational. Between the women's and men's squads, Seton Hall came away with 10 top-five finishes. Eddings and Migton each recorded wins that day, setting the pace for the rest of their season.
It was two freshmen who stole the show in the Hall's second meet, as Blackburn won the 1500-meter run with a time of 5:01.55 at the Monmouth Season Opener. Rolle placed fourth in the event with a time of 5:06.67. Senior Kristen May and freshman Caitlin O'Kane, placed sixth and seventh, respectively.
Eddings and Blackburn each won an event at the Muhlenberg Invitational, giving Seton Hall two straight meets with two victories.
Eddings then recorded her fastest 800-meter time of the season at the Rider Invite, coming in at 2:13.82.
When asked to look back on the year, Moon kept it simple.
"It was fantastic," he said.
Gary Phillips can be reached at gary.phillips@student.shu.edu.
