The snow didn’t stop the Chargers from beginning their outdoor season Saturday at UCONN’s invitational in Storrs, Conn. The women competed first at UCONN. Ada Udaya came back strong from an injury and won the 200 meter dash with a time of 25.14 seconds. Ivy Watts, who also ran her first meet Saturday, post a hamstring injury, placed second in the 400 meter dash with a time of 1:01.22.

Calista Hutchinson placed second in the high jump with a height of 1.63 meters and was a leg on New Haven’s 4×100 meter relay B team. The 4×100 meter relay A team with Alissa Howell, Ada Udaya, Brianna Conyers, and Monica Yanez placed third with a time of 49.61 seconds. Alesha Chu Foo placed sixth in the long jump with a distance of 5.32 meters.

There were also top finishers on the men’s side who competed after the women. Matthew Jeune placed third in the high jump with a height of 2.04 meters, and Jeune also places fifth in the long jump with a distance of 6.79 meters. Tyler Valilak also competed in the long jump and placed thirteenth with a distance of 6.31 meters

Kevin Downing placed fifth in the 200 meter dash with a time of 22.43 seconds and placed twelfth in the 100 meter dash with a time of 11.28 seconds, and was the second leg on the men’s 4X400 meter relay A team.

Other top finishers included Winston Reid who placed seventh in the open 400 meter dash with a time of 51.49 seconds, Patrick Gosier placed thirteenth in the shot put with a throw of 12.86 meters, and Joshua LeBlanc placed sixth in the 1500 meter with a time of 3:58.27.

Hopefully the weather will improve for the Chargers when they compete next at UMass Lowell Saturday, April 7 for the 2012 George Davis Invitational.