The NCAA Division III Championships in Boston last Friday and Saturday wrapped up the indoor season for track and field.
Junior Marissa Jones came in 15th with the time of 58.13 in the 400-meter, while freshman Victoria Whimple placed 10th in the triple jump with the mark of 11.61 meters. For Jones and Whimple, this was their first national championship in Division III.
“It was definitely a good experience for the women that went, ” head coach Nick Jones said. “Marissa Jones went in 17th and finished 15th, that was good.”
Nick Jones said that this is the best the team has done since he started coaching the team.
“It was one of my best [seasons] yet,” Marissa Jones said. “I finished the season with the fastest 400 [meters] I have ever ran, so that’s a good way to end it.”
Marissa Jones said as a team they did well and are hoping to carry that momentum to the outdoor season.
“This spring break will be important to everybody,” Nick Jones said, “where [it is] time away from the team, time to go home and see family, time to recharge batteries and time to mentally taking some down time for academics.”
The athletes will be taking time off but will still have to train on their own to prepare for the outdoor season.
They will be sent home with general workouts and get back to the training on Monday.
“[Workouts] will be a little bit lighter,” Marissa Jones said. “I’m trying to heal some shin splints right now, so it will probably be a lot of cross training.”
The team has been training since indoor season, and Nick Jones is looking to build on that and continue to progress as they go outdoor.
The training is not super intense yet, according to Nick Jones.
“They are working on general strength, building strength in the weight room, building endurance cause we will start working on a lot of faster stuff as we get into meets,” Nick Jones said.
Nick Jones also said that the training now is focusing on help preparing athletes to sustain their performances for the outdoor season and will get more specific after spring break.
The first meet for the outdoor season will be on the weekend after spring break
The first spring meet will be hosted by St. Lawrence University.
“I am [excited], I prefer outdoor,” Marissa Jones said.
Marissa Jones will be participating in 400 meters, 200 meters and 4×400 meters.
“Our 4×400 meters will have some good girls coming in for that, so that will be one of my main focuses too,” Marissa Jones said.
Nick Jones and his team are looking to continue their success and development from the indoor season into the outdoor season.
“We have some younger athletes that the past indoor season is their first college indoor experience on the track team, so towards the end of the indoor season, they started to figure it out,” Nick Jones said. “So I’m excited to see how they progress throughout the outdoor season.”
