The women’s track team opened the season with a commanding victory on December 8, scoring 185 points to defeat the University of Southern Maine (USM) (126), Colby (19), St. Joseph’s (16) and the University of Maine-Farmington (4).
Erin Silva ’15 broke her own school record to secure first in the pole vault.
Bowdoin also won other field events. Hayleigh Kein ’15 took the high jump, while Michele Kaufman ’13 won the long jump and Katharine Krupp ’16 won the triple jump.
On the track, several Polar Bears topped their events: Camille Wasinger ’15 (600m), Samantha Copland ’14 (60m), Gina Stalica ’16 (1000m), and Brenna Fischer ’15 (3000m).
Despite the numerous victories, Copland noted that the Polar Bears always look from top to bottom to be competitive.
“The first meet was just to see where we are and to introduce the first years to college track,” she said.
Bowdoin returned early from winter break to train before sweeping the competition at the home meet on January 12.
Bowdoin earned 180 points to top USM (149), Colby (125), Connecticut College (66), Worcester Polytechnic Institute (55) and St. Joseph’s (3). The Polar Bears performed well, scoring points in all but two events.
Copland said the team worked out two and sometimes three times a day over the break in preparation for the increasing intensity at meets. She also said nightly team bonding was an important step to post-break success.
Though Bowdoin graduated a strong class last year, Copland says team cohesiveness has motivated the team to strong finishes.
“At the end of the meet we have ‘Word on the Track,’ where we say who PRed [broke a personal record] today,” Copland said. “It’s a nice way for sprinters and jumpers and throwers to all come together and see how we are doing.”
In the final meet before the end of break, Bowdoin was tied for the lead going into the final event, but was ultimately edged out by two points by Tufts.
Kaufman won both the 60m hurdles and long jump for Bowdoin, while Wasinger took the 600m. The 4x400m relay team also finished first.
In her first year running the event, Copland added both a personal record and a school record in her second-place finish in the 60m (8.10). Emily Barr ’12 held the previous record (8.13).
Tomorrow the Polar Bears will travel to the Wesleyan Invitational. The meet is larger than their earlier competitions and will be an important benchmark.
The Polar Bears don’t have specific expectations, but Copland said, “We want to beat our times from previous meets so we can improve and peak at the right time.”