Indoor track and field kicks off with Blue-Gold meet

The Pitt men and women’s indoor track teams began their season Friday and Saturday at the… The Pitt men and women’s indoor track teams began their season Friday and Saturday at the Fitzgerald Field House with the annual Blue and Gold track and field meet.

The inter-squad scrimmage featured two co-ed teams chosen by the men and women’s team captains. The blue team, led by captains Kimberly Lyles and Matt Brousse, beat out the gold team, led by captains Maureen McCandless and Jeryl Wilborn, by a score of 98.5 to 70.5.

Although the meet is surrounded by a lot of good-natured fun, it also serves as an evaluation tool for athletes and coaches alike.

“The underclassmen are always curious [about] what kind of condition they are in,” head coach Alonzo Webb said. “They want to know how they stack up against the rest of the squad.”

The meet is the only chance for coaches to see how individuals perform in a meet atmosphere before heading into official competitions, and with six Blue and Gold meet records falling, Webb liked what he saw.

Freshman Keith Higham broke the record in the men’s pole vault by a foot, clearing 16 feet. Also breaking men’s records were juniors Troy Roberson in the 300-meter and Korey Gross in the triple jump.

Also breaking records were junior Marissa Dudek and seniors Amanda Walker and Lamoy Stephens. Dudek broke the women’s pole vault record. Walker and Stephens set new standards in the weight throw and in the long jump, respectively.

This year’s women’s team features a freshman recruiting class that was ranked No. 8 in the nation by Track and Field News. Webb views the ranking as a major accomplishment in a sport largely dominated by perennial powerhouses in the South.

By combining the strong freshman class with the leadership of their captains, Lyles in the sprints and cross country all-American McCandless in the distance events, the women’s team is set up to do big things. To do so, they will focus on the small things.

“The focus,” Webb said, “is on what people need to do in practice every day, and, once in meets, be competitive with people on a head-to-head level.”

Webb is planning the same focus for men’s team as well. With Wilborn, who competes in the middle-distance events, and Brousse, the school record holder in the pole vault, serving as team captains, the men’s team has its leaders in place.

“We want to bring the team together,” Brousse said, “do the little things like supporting each other and pushing each other in practice. I think you’ll see a lot of improvement.”

According to Brousse, the men’s team has exceptional freshman athletes combined with a deep group of sophomores who have the potential to make positive contributions to the team.

The Panthers will travel to Kent, Ohio, on Dec. 10 for the Golden Flash Gala. The meet is a two-day event and Pitt’s first of the season.