Women's Track: Season Preview
December 03, 2004 04:02 PM | General
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| Huntoon |
By Jarrod Sudduth for MSNsportsNET.com
December 3, 2004
The West Virginia University track and field team enters the 2004-05 season with a solid crop of veterans and an exciting group of newcomers.
After having lost just two seniors off a team that posted a large quantity of BIG EAST, ECAC and NCAA qualifiers, head coach Jeff Huntoon has good reason to be excited for the future of the program.
The Mountaineers return each of their NCAA qualifiers from a year ago in seniors Megan Metcalfe (outdoor only), Pam Richardson, Tara Struyk, Jennifer Kemp and Jennifer Davis as well as sophomore Jessica Czaikowski.
Other WVU veterans expected to contribute this season are seniors Jennifer Hall (pole vault), Mary Greene (multi events), Rachel Carden (distance) and Devon Plesuk (distance), juniors Lindsey Clark (javelin), Kenyetta Conway (sprints), Susan Davis (distance), Elizabeth Hummel (throws), Michele McGinnis (throws), Junique Morris (sprints) and Nancy Regalbuto (multi events) and sophomores Halimah Bashir (sprints), Shani Boone (sprints), Rhea Mann (sprints) and Abbie Stechschulte (multi events).
The Mountaineer sprinters are being looked at as a major asset for this year’s unit. While the group as a whole is still young, Huntoon feels like the potential is there to have another outstanding season.
“We are counting on Halimah, Junique, Shani and Jessica to have big years for us as sprinters,” Huntoon says. “We also feel that a few of our freshman can come in and contribute immediately as well.”
The Mountaineers return each of their multi event athletes from a year ago in Greene, Regalbuto and Stechschulte. The addition of North Carolina A&T transfer Alexis Noel will also give WVU a boost throughout the season.
“We are really looking good on the multi event side,” Huntoon explains. “Abbie had a great freshman season and we feel like she has a legitimate shot to qualify nationally this year. Nancy has been a tremendous high jumper for us and Mary is going to give you a solid effort every time out.
“Alexis comes to us with great credentials and we feel that she is going to have an immediate impact on our program.”
McGinnis looks to carry much of the burden for West Virginia in the field events. Hall holds equally as much responsibility as the team’s top pole vaulter.
“If Michele can stay healthy this season she has a great opportunity to post some solid numbers,” Huntoon says. “The rest of our athletes are more outdoor oriented so we need her to have a great indoor season.
“Jen Hall is in the same situation in the pole vault,” Huntoon says. “She is out there on her own but she has the utmost of ability and is looking at a very promising year.”
West Virginia’s experienced mid-distance group is coming off a great season a year ago and looks to improve on its efforts in the coming year.
“Our mid-distance group will be solid as usual,” Huntoon says. “We are looking for Pam and Jen (Kemp) to be in great position at the end of the year for nationals.”
The WVU distance group, fresh off a Mid-Atlantic regional cross country championship, will be rock solid again as it turns its focus from the trails to the track.
“I’m real pleased with the direction of the distance group after the great cross country season,” Huntoon says. “Tara is a rock for us and we hope to have her in both indoors and outdoors. Susan and Jen Davis will be big in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters and Susan even placed in the mile at BIG EAST last season.”
An area of the team that has improved vastly this season is its relays. In fact, this year’s relay groups have the potential to score some valuable points down the road.
“The depth on the 4x800 meter team is a little bit better,” Huntoon says. “The 4x400 meter team has some great expectations. The group has a little bit of experience now and we feel they can take it to the next level. It’s been a short fall but we’ve been really pleased with them.”
With the experience that the Mountaineers return in 2004-05, very few freshmen will be forced into contributing roles immediately. According to Huntoon, however, many newcomers will have an opportunity to gain valuable experience as the season rolls along.
On the indoor side, West Virginia returns all of its major contributors with the exception of All-American Megan Metcalfe. The Edmonton, Alberta, native has exhausted her indoor eligibility but will be available for the 2005 outdoor season beginning in March.
“Our indoor squad should be strong,” Huntoon says. “Not having Megan is going to make it a little rough, but we have a lot of solid returners who we are expecting to have great indoor seasons.”
Metcalfe’s return combined with a much improved outdoor unit bodes well for West Virginia’s success in the 2005 outdoor campaign.
“I think we have the potential to be one of the top two teams in the BIG EAST on the outdoor side,” Huntoon says. “With Megan back, the distance side alone is going to be sick. We’ve got every opportunity in the world to finish at the top of the BIG EAST. The outdoor season could be a heck of a ride.”
