Exceeding all expectations after an already impressive 2012 campaign, the Binghamton University women’s track team placed third at the America East Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Orono, Maine. Senior Kaitlin Sullivan and junior Jessica Hennig highlighted the Bearcats’ performance over the weekend by bringing home individual titles.

The women’s team had its highest finish ever at the America East Outdoor Championships and its best performance since coming in third at the 2002 indoor conference championship.

Hennig, who has won the past three conference indoor titles in the 400, finally got her chance at the first outdoor title in the same event. She slipped by defending conference outdoor champion Allison Rogers of the University at Albany to win in a school-record time of 54.47. She broke her own previous mark of 54.87 set in 2010.

Sullivan, meanwhile, topped off a banner year with her first America East Conference title. She captured the 100 hurdles in a school-record time of 13.96. In doing so, she became the first Binghamton runner to break 14 seconds in the event. She broke her own school record of 14.02 that she had set earlier this season. Sullivan also placed fifth later in the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:02.43.

The women’s most impressive event of the weekend was the triple jump, in which Binghamton won five of the top eight places. Sophomore Alexis Murray led the way with a second-place finish (38-7 ½) and fellow sophomore Paige Ware followed closely in third (38-2 ½). Senior Nandi Dozier-Lewis (fifth, 38-0), freshman Alexx Baum (sixth, 37-5 1/4) and sophomore Sara Wickes (eighth, 36-6 1/4) also contributed solid performances.

Hennig, Sullivan and sophomores Erika Kisel and Kathleen Klein locked up third place in the meet for the Bearcats with a runner-up effort in the final event of the meet, the 4×400 relay (3:47.24). Earlier in the meet, Kisel placed sixth in the 400 (57.15).

Junior Ashley AuPont placed third in the high jump (5-5 ½) and eighth in the 100 hurdles (15.19).

Binghamton will head next to Princeton from May 11-13 for the ECAC/IC4A.