Jeff Neukom, Managing Editor
The Illinois Wesleyan University women’s track and field team earned a first place finish, in addition to yet another individual award at the Titan Open meet on Saturday, Jan. 31.
First-year Amelia Glueck earned “Field Athlete of the Week” on February 7. This is the second time in three weeks the Titan team has earned this award.
Glueck may be undecided on her field of study at Illinois Wesleyan, but she is certainly set on one thing: working to success. In addition to earning first place, she set a new personal record in the event.
“I couldn’t have done it without my team, my coach or God. I seriously have been so blessed to be able to compete as an IWU Titan under Coach Shoe,” she said. “I couldn’t be happier or more excited.”
Junior Nia Joiner, forecasted as an athlete to look out for this preseason, earned a first place victory in the 60m dash with a time of 7.78 seconds. While not quite the time she logged en route to becoming the 2014 NCAA Division III national champion in the event, she has been impressive thus far and will only get better as the season goes on.
Senior Allie Boudreau took home first in the 400m dash with a time of 59.04 seconds. Senior teammate Angela Herrmann was a close second at 59.62 seconds. Even as they compete in the same event, there is only positivity between the two teammates.
In spite of the individual nature of track and field, there is a strong bond that ties this team together. After any event, onlookers are almost guaranteed to see the team exchanging high fives and hugs after they cross the finish line, even if two teammates are running against each other in the same heat.
It is this bond that makes the team better each day and each week. There is a fine line between healthy competition and outright hostility, and members of this team know exactly how much to push each other.
“Yes, we are individual competitors, but it goes so far beyond that. In the end we are one team and we all want to use our talents to reach the highest potential we can together!” said Glueck. “Our team is absolutely amazing! Every girl is so talented and I am truly inspired by all of them!”
This time around, the men’s team did not have such good fortune. Their top finish was fourth place in the 4x400m relay, anchored by senior Jeff Toraason. The relay team of first-year Tristan Fox, sophomore Steven Gualandri, Carl Anderson and Toraason logged a time of 3:31.51.
Missouri S&T’s team recorded a time of 3:26.38, which gives the relay team a goal for next time. The next meet is Saturday, as Wesleyan hosts the Keck D-III Select Meet with events on both Friday, Feb. 6 and Saturday, Feb. 7.