Women Look To Build On Indoor Success
3/19/2014 3:48:00 PM | Women's Track & Field
The Sam Houston State women's track and field program enters its 2014 outdoor season fresh off the squad's first conference indoor championship since 2008.
The Bearkats are ready to build off that success as they head to the Louisiana Tech Invitational Saturday for their first outdoor meet of 2014.
“Whoever wins indoors, you're the one they're gunning for when it comes to outdoors,” head coach David Self said. “It's a good position to be in. The girls feel like they're expected to do it again. It's definitely in a very positive way done some things for us.”
After a trip to Ruston, La. for the season opener, Sam Houston will jump right into its biggest competition of the year at the Texas Relays in Austin.
“If you're a Texas school, you can't not go,” Self said. “It's as close to the national meet as you're going to get without going. You've got a stadium that seats about 25,000 people; it's packed, it's loud and you've got schools from all over. It's a chance to run with the best in country.”
The Kats will get an extra boost from senior Alyssa Dooley, who is fresh off a redshirt season and was Southland Conference champion in the 800 meter run and second in the 1500 meter run in 2012.
“We think she's anywhere from 10 to 14 points at the conference meet for us on top of what we've already scored,” Self said. “She wanted to have one more year to train. We expect her to come in and challenge to win both of those races.”
The outdoor schedule in itself presents challenges as the Bearkats will not only be battling their competitors but forced to face the elements, as well.
“Now you have to take into the account the environment – the weather – and that can be a huge factor in performances and how things go; especially as bipolar as the weather has been here lately,” Self said. “We finish the year in May when it's hot. It tends to limit what the athletes can and can't do performance wise.”
The Kats will be in action eight times including meets at Texas, Texas-San Antonio and Texas A&M – Corpus Christi whose short and wide tracks will help mimic the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships course in Conway, Ark.
“The style of track at Conway is what's called a European oval and it's used to having a soccer pitch in the middle instead of a football field,” Self said. “The turns are longer than the straightaways. It's actually a lot faster because the turns are wider. These are as stretched out as you can have them.”
Along with the addition of Dooley, the outdoor season brings the return of the 400 meter hurdles – which is not run indoors – offering another advantage to the Kats who saw sophomore Ruth Amaku finish as runner-up in the category one year ago.
After a record-setting indoor season, the SHSU women are riding a wave of momentum and looking to go back-to-back for the first time since 2007-2008.
“We always go in trying to win the conference meet,” Self said. “That's the kind of thing that really turns the corner for a program and it's already been affecting recruiting. To say, 'last year we were indoors and outdoors champs' that gets someone's attention.”
2014 Track & Field Outdoor Schedule
|
Sat, Mar 22 |
Louisiana Tech Invitational |
Ruston, La. |
|
Wed-Sat., Mar 26-29 |
Texas Relays |
Austin |
|
Fri-Sat, Mar 28- 29 |
Victor Lopez Invitational |
Houston |
|
Sat, Apr 5 |
Islanders Dash |
Corpus Christi |
|
Sat, Apr 12 |
Wes Kittley Invitational |
Abilene |
|
Fri-Sun Apr 18-20 |
Mt. SAC Relays |
Walnut, Calif. |
|
Sat, Apr 19 |
UTSA Invitational |
San Antonio |
|
Fri-Sun May 9-11 |
SLC Outdoor Championships |
Conway, Ark. |
|
Thur-Sat, May 29-31 |
NCAA Preliminary Round |
Fayetteville, Ark. |
|
Wed-Sat, Jun 11-14 |
NCAA Final Round |
Eugene, Ore. |
|
Thur-Sun, Jun 26- 29 |
USATF Championships |
Sacramento, Calif. |
