Post-MAC Championship Quotes
2/28/2010 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Head Coach Bill Lawson:
On the turn around on the women's side
The biggest turn around in the meet came when we went 1-2-3 in the triple jump. We had a solid 1-2 with Brenda Baar and Diana Dumitrescu, but really, the big performer in the event was freshman Keri Dantley. She went from fifth to third place on her last jump. Great job by assistant coaches Phil Rickaby and Adrian Ghioroaie in the triple jump to get the top three finishers. That scored us 24 points at the end of the day so all we had to do was beat Central Michigan in the mile relay, which we did. The icing on the cake was freshman Domenica Rossi in the pole vault, getting fourth at the very end.
On the 4x400 meter relay team and senior Jessica Lhotsky:
The entire team ran well, but probably the big move that got us back in to the race was Jessica Lhotsky. Jess ran an unbelievable leg to get us back into it to give Juliet Alrich a chance to beat the Central Michigan girl. Alrich took the lead over the Central Michigan girl, held on and secured the victory. But it was Jessica Lhotsky was the one that got us back into the race. Also, Lhotsky winning the 800 was a huge component of this team title.
On the women's championship:
I think this showed strength of this program with senior leadership, freshman talent and unbelievable guidance by the assistant coaches. There was great want-to and desire by the women's team. Those girls, and nobody else, made it happen.
On what you told the women's team before the second day:
I told the team you do not have to do anything extraordinary. Do what you are capable of doing, and everything else will fall into place. I felt if we scored 70 points on the final day, that it would be enough to win. We scored 72 points on the second day to give us a little cushion. You couldn't have written up ahead of time with a better Cinderella ending with the 1-2-3 in the triple jump and that finish in the mile relay. It was a great finish in the mile relay with unbelievable run by the entire group of girls, especially Lhotsky and Alrich.
On the men's team:
On the men's side, we had a series of unfortunate events from injuries and we just didn't score in places. We just weren't feeling it. I am not disappointed with the guy's team but to be candid, we are a much better outdoor team. We're going to be right back in contention on the men's an women's side outdoors.
On Princeton Bryson and Destin Heasley:
The true character of a team is how you respond. Destin Heasley probably knew we were out of contention for the team title, but he still ran hard and won that championship. Princeton Bryson got the individual title in the 200 and wasn't even expected to run the 4x400, took Curtis Eaton Jr.'s place and had a great leg to keep us in the race to add another team title with Matt Moffett, true freshman Javon Walker and of course, Destin Heasley.
The men's team heading into the outdoor season and 2010-2011:
Today was a good experience for the men's team. We're a better team outdoors and we'll be an even better team next year with the recruiting class coming. I have the utmost confidence to bounce back and be even hungrier. If you remember last year, we crushed everyone indoors and kind of fell apart outdoors, so we are going to try and do the reverse this year.
