Junior distance runner Emma Gilmore and senior mid-distance runner Brittany Bohn run around the track during practice.
Last week’s winter weather did not slow down the track and field team as the athletes prepared for the OVC Championship.
This year’s Championship will be at Lantz Fieldhouse at Eastern Illinois University Friday and Saturday. The Racers will compete against Austin Peay State, Belmont, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, Southeast Missouri State, Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech.
“We have a lot of solid returning people that always preform really well in conference. We are getting scored as a team,” Head Coach Jenny Severns said.
Senior field player, Brianna McCarthy said all season everyone has worked toward getting personal records but this our first real team event.
“It’s about seeing how we come together as a team,” McCarthy said.
Severns said this year’s OVC will be more competitive than last year. She said last year’s included one athlete who could run the mile in less than five minutes, and this year there are more than five.
“The only thing that counts is your conference meet. It’s good because we have had all season to get ready but it is still a lot of pressure on the girls” Severns said.
Tennessee State, Eastern Illinois, Southeast Missouri State are always tough competition, Severns said. They all have an indoor facilities where they train.
Severns shoveled ice and snow this week from the outdoor track so her athletes could practice.
After last weekend McCarthy is excited going into OVC. She said after last week’s performance at GVSU she feels confident that as a team they are set for OVC.
“I’m really calm and just ready to compete this weekend so hopefully some really good things will come from that,” McCarthy said.
Severns said it takes a lot to be successful at this level but the team is ready to go and fight for the title of OVC title. Severns offered this advice to her team going into OVC this weekend.
“Be calm when you need to be calm and be aggressive when you need to be aggressive and be willing to hurt like you’ve never hurt before,” Severns said.
Story by Da’Sha Tuck, Staff writer