KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- With the indoor season nearing a close, the Western Michigan track and field team heads to the University of Akron for the 2016 Indoor Mid-American Conference Championships on Friday and Saturday.
WMU is coming with a full head of steam after winning the Ball State Tune-Up last weekend and turning in some quality results. A standout from the meet was sprinter Sarita Dotson. The junior won both the 200-meter dash and the 60-meter dash, running the second-fastest time in program history in both events. However, according to Dotson, last week was last week.
"I'm going into this meet focused," said the junior from Battle Creek, Mich. "I'm not really worried about last week's performance. This is what I'm here to do. I'm here to run."
Dotson, who will run in the 200 and 60 at the MAC Championships, won't be alone. She will be joined by fellow classmate and sprint partner Naiomi Dulaney. Dulaney also ran her fastest time of the season at the Ball State Tune-Up and currently ranks 10th in the MAC, bunched up with six other runners that are separated by just .20 seconds. For Dulaney and Dotson it's a chance to prove themselves, something neither really had a chance to last season due to nagging injuries.
"We definitely train together and it shows," Dotson added. "When we race we are always right there. She got me last year in the 200 and I think it's fun to have a teammate that you can be competitive with, but also push you and work hard together."
Head coach Kelly Lycan agrees, and sees it as a key piece to making a program better.
"It's what gets you out of bed in the morning," said Lycan on the desire to compete. "Naiomi and Sarita are really good friends but they do not want lose to each other. There's a lot of good-natured trash talking going on there. It makes it competitive but it also makes it fun. When you know you're going up against those quality of athletes in practice it makes the meets seem like no big deal because you already see it every day. That's how you make your program better."
Combine those two with reigning MAC indoor and outdoor 400-meter dash champion Ayiana Gaines and senior Artia Gunn and WMU has a formidable sprint group. Gaines will also compete in the 200, while Gunn competes in the 60-meter hurdles and the 60-meter dash.
Events kick off on Friday and the Broncos will have a chance to put some points on the board right away. Freshmen Allison Hufnagel and Diana Holsey will compete in the pentathlon and Maria McDaniel in the 5,000-meter run. A chance to score points also presents itself in the long jump, weight throw and the distance medley.
The semifinals of the 60-meter hurdles, 60-meter dash, 400-meter dash, 800-meter run and 200-meter dash also take place on Friday afternoon.
