JOE HASENSTAB | Staff Reporter
The Butler track and field team hosted the first of two meets for its outdoor season last weekend. Both teams competed well, as the women swept their five events and the men finished 3-2 in their events.
Six teams came to campus to compete in the meet. Coach Matt Roe said he was happy with the competition, among other things.
“We were so fortunate to get decent weather, and we had a good group of teams for our first time hosting that meet, the Bulldog Opener,” Roe said. “We had some really strong performances as well, led by Kirsty Legg who won the 800 (-meter run) and the 1500 (-meter run).”
Legg, a senior who competed in her first meet of the year after not having eligibility for the indoor season, said she was also pleased with her results.
“I actually really like racing on the home track and it was just great to open with two wins,” Legg said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better way to start my outdoor season, especially with it being my senior year. I kind of want it to be my best season yet.”
Along with Legg, junior Nicole Hudec also had a successful meet. She won her two individual events, the long jump and the 100-meter dash, and was part of a winning 4×400 meter relay team with juniors Bria Booker, Kelly Davidson and Kiley Shelley.
The men’s team won four events. Senior runners Matthew Schumacker and Andrew Wallace both won their events. Schumacker won the 400-meter hurdles, and Wallace won the 800-meter race. Senior Nigel Spears won the long jump, and sophomore Dominique Stephens won the shot put.
This weekend the team will head to the University of Cincinnati for the Oliver Nickoloff Invite. Legg said she thinks the team will perform well at the meet if it tries to repeat its success from its first meet.
On Friday in Cincinnati, there is a 60 percent chance of rain. One of the big differences between the two seasons, indoor and outdoor track, is the role weather plays. Roe said meets do not get canceled or delayed for rain, only for “adverse weather.”
Roe said the outdoor season hosts some events that the indoor season does not, and vice versa. For example, events like the 400-meter hurdles, the 10,000-meter race and the discus are included in the outdoor season, while the 3,000-meter run is replaced by the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
