BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College women's track and field team looks to preserve its mark as Landmark Conference champions as the Greyhounds look to earn their eighth consecutive title on Saturday, February 28 at this year's meet hosted by Susquehanna University.
"It's been a really short season for us due to the way the academic calendar worked out this year, so injuries/illnesses have made an already challenging task of getting people ready in time even tougher," commented Head Coach Jesse Baumann. "Despite the shorter season, we've had a lot of highlights. We've had some big breakthroughs from athletes who haven't previously been on the NCAA lists, and we've had some really nice contributions from our freshmen class."
Senior sprinter Brianna Wright, junior sprinter Corinne Glass, freshman thrower Ciara Stewart and sophomore distance runner Meg Brockett have all received Landmark Athlete of the Week honors.
"Fortunately, we're a pretty well-rounded team with pretty good depth across all of the events, so I'm hoping this bodes well for us and gives us a chance to contend as a team this weekend," said Baumann.
The team has been quite consistent through the winter. The senior class is motivated to keep its legacy intact and post the best results in hopes to earn ECAC bids and has been complimented by the underclassmen who see their team and coaches vision unfolding in front of them.
"Brianna Wright and Dana Fineman have turned it up a notch all season, Jenny Kratch and Ciara Stewart are throwing extremely well right now, our jumpers are starting to pick it up these past few weeks in all three events, and we're starting to get our fitness to where it needs to be with our distance crew especially in the longer distance events," explained Baumann.
Several of the Greyhounds have been hitting ECAC marks all season and with a few tweaks at practice look to hit the qualifying numbers one more time on Saturday in hopes of further post-season chances and a eighth title to add to a growing list of accomplishments.
Sophomore Lauren Suelke, last year's Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year will look to add an ECAC mark along while teammates Kratch, Wright, Stewart, Glass, Brockett, senior Emily Lambright, senior Morgan Redmond, Fineman, freshman Melissa Cheong, junior Christelle Reglas and sophomore Kiara Bright have all hit ECAC marks this winter.
"I'm hoping we can all peak at the right time, not only this weekend, but the next few weekends so we can excel at Landmarks, ECACs, and hopefully increase our presence at NCAAs as well," stated Baumann.
On Saturday, February 28 at 11:00 a.m., the quest for Landmark Conference title number eight begins.
