Allison McCarthy set a new course record in the 3K race on Saturday in UConn’s 2025 season opener in Hartford, Conn.
The senior from Sandy Hook, Conn. broke her personal best time in the 3K (10 minutes and 55.7 seconds) by over 13 seconds, winning the event at a time of 10:44 at the University of Hartford Invitational at Keney Park.
All six of UConn’s runners finished inside the top seven, interrupted only by Southern Connecticut State’s (SCSU) Courtney Henchcliffe, who finished fifth with a time of 10:57.4.
McCarthy’s first-place finish comes off the heels of her 18th place finish in the Big East Outdoor Track and Field Championships 1500 meters (4:37.68).
Sophomore Claire Paci ran just three times during her freshman season, notching a personal best of 21:52.4 (160t overall) at the Lehigh Paul Short Run-in early October. Her second-place finish of 10:47.4 came in her first attempt at the 3K race.
The next four runners all finished within five seconds of each other.
Senior Loghan Hughes set a personal best in the 3K, finishing third with a time of 10:55.7. Saturday’s race was only the second time she competed in the 3K, beating her previous mark of 11:02 from the Suffolk Short Course Classic in Sept. 2023.
Megan Minicucci finished fourth, just 1.2 seconds behind Hughes, crossing the line at 10:56.9. Minicucci, a senior from Bolton, Conn., placed 12th in the 10,000 meters at the Big East Outdoor Track and Field Championships in May. Saturday’s race was her first attempt at the 3K race, having only competed previously in the 6K and 5K, respectively.
Henchcliffe finished fifth for SCSU. The Owls were the only other team to have multiple runners finish inside the top 10 (Peyton Dauphinais, eighth).
Calista Mayer took sixth place. The junior from Tolland, Conn. also set a 3K personal-best at 10:59.1. Mayer was a member of the women’s 4×800 meter team that finished fourth in the Big East Championships back in May.
Samanatha Moore finished seventh in her collegiate debut. Her time of 11:06.7 bridged the gap between the frontrunners and the second tier, with the next finisher crossing nearly 10 seconds after.
UMass Lowell and Bentley runners comprised the rest of the top 20. The race totaled 117 finishers, with 19 additional runners being listed but not competing.
“Despite the really tough conditions of heat and humidity, our women executed the race plan. They got out quickly and controlled the race from the start,” Head Coach Beth Alford-Sullivan said via the University’s official athletics website. “Excited for Ally [McCarthy] setting a course record to start her senior campaign. All six runners finishing in the top 10 is a great way to start the season.”
The Huskies return to action in two weeks. They’ll make the trip west to New Britain to compete in the Ted Owen Invitational hosted by Central Connecticut State University.