A successful indoor season for both the men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams came to an end on March 4. The men’s squad wrapped up its season this past Saturday at the North Coast Athletic Conference Championships in seventh place with a total of 23 points, while the Yeowomen finished in fifth place with 52 points. Allegheny College finished in first place on both sides, with their women’s team finishing with 148 points and their men’s squad with 213.

The Yeowomen had some outstanding performances, including first-year Flannery Cerbin’s 800-meter victory, which was finished with an impressive time of 2:21.69. Reflecting on her race, Cerbin admits that she could not have done so well without the dedicated support of her family and team.

The emphasis on team spirit and the value of support was echoed by fellow first-year Ryan King. “At first I thought our team would split according to our expertise into small cliques of throwers, vaulters, sprinters and distance runners. But throughout the season, we were all there for each other. When somebody said they PR’ed [personal record], it meant something to the whole team. The brotherhood of the team was the engine of the season. I’m so happy to know such great athletes.”

Other notable performances by the women’s track and field team included those by first-year Maddy Davis-Hayes and junior Ariane Burwell. Davis-Hayes ran the mile in 5:13.79, which put her in second place. Burwell had a solid finish, placing third in the 3000-meter race with a time of 10:32.45. The performance of the distance medley team composed of Davis-Hayes, first-year Nicole Ouellet, sophomore Anna Chernin and junior Barrie Newberger was also impressive, as they came in second with a time of 12:59.19.

The Yeomen had their fair share of standout performances. King ran the mile with an impressive time of 4:29.80, which was good for a fourth place. Other impressive performances included a fifth place finish for junior Travis Grout and an eighth place finish for sophomore Cody Hartley. Grout completed the 5000-meter with a time of 15:32.19, while Hartley ran the 55-meter hurdles in 8.52 seconds. Rounding out the men’s meet was the 4x400 meter relay team composed of Hartley, first-years Kyle Taljan and Conor Doss and senior Dan Keeney. The foursome completed the relay with a final time of 3:37.24, placing sixth in the event.

Overall, the squads have grown both in size and skill this year. Most teams members will move on to compete in outdoor track, with athletes only seeing their performances improving over time.

The indoor season was a success for many, along with providing a good stepping-stone for athletes who plan to compete in the outdoor season. As King so aptly put it, “I’ve learned many valuable lessons over the season, about discipline and confidence, that will help me in the future.” As the team moves into the spring, they feel proud about their indoor performance and confident that they can build off this experience and improve even more.