This weekend, March 22-23, the Lindenwood outdoor track and field team will be kicking their season off at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky.
“We don’t have a big gap between indoor and outdoor seasons, so we’re just trying to stay fit and remain ready for this meet,” redshirt freshman distance runner Holly Harding said.
As big of a leap as Lindenwood track took last year, entering the competitive league of NCAA Division I, the team is now competing in fewer local track meets, including against tougher teams.
“I think it’s going to be a challenge, but it’s gonna be a good challenge for everybody because we’re all used to just going to meets that are local. This season especially, we’re going to be having a lot more meets where we’ll be going and seeing other schools,” senior Tevon Williamson said. “I know I’ve been to Murray State before, but there’s still going to be a lot of schools from like NIAs to D1s to D2s, which is going to be a good mix of seeing everybody from everywhere, and not just localized.”
This year, Lindenwood has many returners from injuries, as well as several new athletes on the team. The Lions are looking to get to know one another, develop their culture, learn each other’s skills, train hard, and use everything to their fullest.
“For me personally, coming back from injury, I’m just trying to get some good times down, and get some kind of racing experience in,” Harding said. “For the team as a whole, now that we’re doing more in D1, the competition is even tougher. So a lot of it is about personal performance, and just trying to do well as a team, and support each other.”
This season is especially tougher for the men’s track team, as they are going to be cut after the 2024 outdoor track season.
The Lindenwood track athletes who are competing in their final Lindenwood track season look to make the most of it and achieve the best goals they can. From improving running times, throwing distances, pole vault marks, jump marks, and overall scoring high in every meet.
“You know at least for the men’s side we’re not going to have a team, so [for us] really just going out and competing,” Williamson said. “But for the team altogether, just going in and putting it all out there.”
