BOSTON, Mass. – A 24-year-old school record in the mile went by the boards Friday night when junior Caitlin Fahey (Bridgewater/Coyle-Cassidy HS) posted a time of 4:58.63 during the Boston University Valentine's Invitational at the BU Track and Tennis Center.

Fahey bettered the record that Kathy Fitzgibbons had held since 1988 by 1.16 seconds, with her time provisionally qualifying her for the NCAA Division II Championships. It was the fastest mile recorded in the Northeast-10 Conference this season and bettered Fahey's own personal best, set a week ago at Dartmouth, by more than nine seconds.

Fahey finished 28th in a field of 144 overall. Of the runners who crossed before her, 21 were from Division I institutions and five were post-collegiate athletes.

Junior All-America Amy Varsell (Burlington, Conn./Lewis S. Mills HS) also had a strong performance Friday night. She was 18th of 153 in the 800 meters, with her time of 2:12.58 elevating her from 14th to eighth on this year's NCAA Division II performance list.

Varsell's time, the best recorded in the 800 in the Northeast-10 this season, was more than four seconds better than the time she posted in the same meet a year ago and only 0.85 seconds off her own school record.

Sophomores Ashley Nichols (Kenmore, Wash./Inglemoor HS) and Brittany Pandolph (Tewksbury/Tewksbury HS), along with freshman Brynnan Farrington (Shirley/Ayer HS), were the other Falcons who turned in solid efforts. Pandolph was 16th of 40 in the shot (36'6.75"), Farrington was 20th in the same event (35'6") and Nichols ran the 3,000 in 10:38.22, placing 59th of 87.

Next Saturday, Bentley will compete in the Northeast-10 Conference Championships at the Reggie Lewis Center.