Racing to the top

By Maddie Noonan ‘19, Staff Writer

Heartbeat racing, his spikes pound the track, one step in front of the other as Stephen Shelly rounds the last bend of the track, closing in on the finish line completing yet another 3000-meter steeplechase for LVC’s men’s track & field team.

“So far, the men’s side is having a bit of a building year,” Shelly, a senior actuarial science major, said. “During the indoor season the team paced 6 and even though the team is young, we’re looking forward to grabbing that 5^th spot at the conference meet in May,” Shelly said.

The men’s track & field team has recently graduated a majority of its seasoned athletes, leaving this year’s younger team with much experience to gain and a lot of room to improve and grow.

Although they are a young team, the athletes are eager to tackle the upcoming invitational at Messiah College.

On the other hand, the women’s track & field team is a force to be reckoned with. During this year’s indoor season the women’s team placed fifth out of thirteen teams, with a large majority of the team qualifying for ECAC’s.

In fact, a few of the women on the team brought home medals from ECAC’s.

“We have a blend of experienced returners and eager freshman,” Rebecca Dertinger, a junior international business and global studies double major, said.

A majority of the women’s team are underclassmen, but confidence is not lacking. The upcoming meet with Messiah College will be a good barometer where the team stands as it prepares for the conference championship.