Women's Track & Field | January 05, 2018
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan track and field team is set to open the 2018 indoor season on Saturday, hosting Oakland University at 1:30 p.m. at Read Field House.
The Broncos bring a young and talented team into the 17th season under head coach Kelly Lycan. WMU finished in seventh place at the 2017 Mid-American Conference Indoor Championship and looks to improve its standing this season. A beginning point for that improvement could be sophomore sprinter Madison Meredith.
Meredith, a Birmingham, Mich., native, took the Indoor MAC Championship by storm and as named the MAC Championship Freshman Performer of the Year. At the meet she took third in the 60-yard dash and helped the 4x400m relay team to a MAC title, also earning her First Team All-MAC honors. At the Outdoor MAC Championship, she took sixth in the 100m dash and helped the 4x100m relay to a second place finish and Second Team All-MAC honors. In the short sprints, Meredith's biggest competition might come from someone even younger than her in freshman Diamond Mitchell.
"I think we could have a good one-two punch with Maddison and Diamond in the short sprints," said Lycan. "Diamond has been breathing down her neck and really pushing her in workouts."
Gabrielle Collins enters her sophomore season and could be a factor in the short sprints as well as the jumps, where she took eighth in both the triple and long jumps at the Indoor MAC Championship last season. Collins and senior Diana Holsey are also the top two returning 60m hurdlers, but junior Allison Hufnagel has improved in the event as well. Hufnagel will also be the team's top competitor in the pentathlon.
In the 400m dash the Broncos return senior Devonne Bolden to lead the way. Bolden came on strong last season and competed at the NCAA East Preliminary Championship as a part of the outdoor 4x400m relay team. Sophomore Erin Dowd has also shown improvements in the event.
Junior Sarah Anderson looks to continue her success in the middle distance races after coming off a strong season last year that saw her score in the 800 and mile runs indoors and the 1,500m run outdoors. Freshman Juliane Sormain will also get a crack at the middle distances after competing in cross country in the fall.
The distance group will be anchored by reigning MAC cross country champion Hanne Christensen. After wrapping up a successful outdoor season, the senior headed into the fall and dominated the MAC during the cross country season. Christensen is set to compete in the 3,000m run on Saturday. Last season the Grand Blanc, Mich., native took eighth in the 5,000m run at the Indoor MAC Championship.
The throws group will have a lot of fresh faces in 2018. Freshmen Abena Tuobi, Audery Pickering, Aniya Davis, Taylor Eaton, Mackenzie Newell and Wynn Stitt all join the program under the tutelage of third-year throws coach Pat Tracy. The group of six joins established veterans Savannah Dugan, Brittany Casey Riley Wilhelm and Audrey Oswalt.
"The throws group this year has a lot of new faces," said Tracy. "What makes this group different from previous years is their mentality and embracing of the opportunities. It's exhilarating as a coach to see their commitment and effort to the program."
"It's really going to be fun to watch this group progress throughout the season," added Lycan.
At last season's Ice Breaker the Broncos defeated Ball State, 81-58. The team has not lost a home indoor dual meet under Lycan.
