On a weekend defined by numerous personal records and Big East titles, the Georgetown men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams gained a tremendous surge in momentum at the 2017 Big East indoor championship in Staten Island, N.Y., on Feb. 24 and 25.
Senior Scott Carpenter continued to be a major strength for the Hoyas, setting a personal record in the mile with 4:03.57 — the second-fastest in Hoya history behind Steve Holman (CAS ’92) in 1992, who ran 4:00.57. For Carpenter, this was only an added bonus to the weekend. He admits the focus of the weekend was on the team.
“We talked about it as team that no matter what the team needed anyone was going to be willing to do that. Whether we needed to run on a relay or we needed to run two events in the same day, we were all willing to do that,” Carpenter said.
On the women’s side, junior Jody-Ann Knight also set new personal records in several events. She credits her performance to her impeccable physical shape.
“I definitely know I’m in the best shape of my college career,” Knight said. “So I had a feeling I was going to [set a] PR this weekend.”
With Knight setting a new personal record in the 60 meter and 200m dash, Interim Director of track and field and cross-country Julie Culley highly praised her performance.
“[Knight] was a huge star for us this weekend. She literally ran a lifetime best every time she took the line,” Culley said.
The Hoyas’ young talent proved themselves as dominant competitors in the Big East conference. Freshman Quincey Wilson placed for the Hoyas in the 400m dash, 4x400m relay and the 200m dash, which he set a new personal best at 21.96. The men’s 4x400m relay first-place finish of 3:14.83 by junior Nick Sullivan, freshman Quincey Wilson, junior Joe White and freshman Kenny Roe affirmed the group’s team-focused mentality.
Together, 12 men and six Georgetown women claimed a place on the 2017 All-Big East indoor track and field team, proving that there is much more to be accomplished by the Hoyas in the near future.
“It showed really good teamwork, but it definitely showed that we will be looking to doing even better in the future,” Knight said.
With the NCAA Championship on the horizon, the Hoyas have an opportunity to build upon what they strongly established at the Big East Championship.
Culley looks into the future for her team after the Big East Championship and believes that even more accolades will be coming to the athletes very soon.
“[This tournament] was a great springboard for us going into the outdoor season. With their performances and their training, the best is yet to come in the outdoor season.”
The two-day NCAA Championship starts March 10 at College Station, Texas, and will be the final meet before the outdoor season begins.
