Women's track team to see west coast teams in Oregon
The women's track team will send 12 athletes to the west coast this weekend to compete in the Oregon Relays.
The rest of the team will stay in Michigan for the Hillsdale Relays. Both meets are two-day events beginning Friday and concluding Saturday.
The athletes traveling to Oregon will see competition from across the western United States and head coach Karen Lutzke said it is a great motivator.
"This is a big meet for us and there is a lot of tradition at this meet," she said. "The atmosphere is really great for competition and there is all around a lot of history behind Oregon track and field."
With the Mid-American Conference Championships only three weeks away, freshman Rachel Wittum said the team is trying to take advantage of competing against top competition.
"Everyone is working hard to have coach look at them to ultimately be put on the squad to compete at the MAC meet," said Wittum, who is competing at Hillsdale this weekend.
"Every opportunity is crucial because we do not have many chances left before MAC."
Senior Allison Jakubowski is one of the 12 athletes competing in Oregon. She is coming off a first-place finish last weekend in the javelin throw.
Juniors Erika Schroll, Tanisha Johnson and senior Kelly McClure is joining Jakubowski in Oregon. McClure will compete in the steeplechase after not competing last weekend. Lutzke said she expects Schroll to improve her high jump.
"One of the reasons we are out here is to compete against the best and work to getting some more personal bests and regional times," she said. "The atmosphere is great and we want to see Allison throw farther and Erika jump higher."
Wittum said in terms of how many schools competing at the Hillsdale Relays, it is one of the team's biggest invitationals of the outdoor season.
The 12 athletes heading to Oregon will see competition that they have never seen before and Lutzke said it is always good to face different competition.
"It is really just great for some of our athletes to be a part of this meet," Lutzke said. "The Olympic trials were held in Oregon last year and it will be great for our athletes to compete against some West coast teams."
sports@cm-life.com
