Following the GVSU Extra Weekend Meet and the conclusion of the regular season, Ferris State track and field will head back to Allendale to compete in the GLIAC Championships this week.
Both track squads turned in a historic regular season, breaking a total of seven school records and posting over 100 top-10 individual performances. The Bulldogs are seeking revenge for the conclusion of last season after the women’s team finished seventh in the outdoor championship and the men’s team tied for sixth. However, both sides have failed to claim the outdoor championship trophy in over 20 years.
Women’s
The women came out of the Extra Weekend Meet with two new school records on the women’s side. Junior Whitney Farrell claimed one of the records in the 3,000-meter steeplechase when she finished with a time of 10:42.34. Meanwhile, the 4×100-meter relay team of sophomore Lacey Zimmerman, junior Abby Winkle, junior Angela Kotecki and freshman Allie Delost posted a 47.09 finish.
Winkle also finished first in the 400-meter race with a time of 56.55 seconds, alongside a second-place finish in the 200-meter at 24.88 seconds.
Winkle likes having the last race be at the same place as the GLIAC Championships to warm up for the big event.
“I would say that this last invitational before GLIAC finals is our last opportunity to get a feel for what we want the race to feel like for the championships,” Winkle said. “By now we have a good sense of what we need to work on, whether that be our block start, finishing the race off, or in my case, having a seamless handoff and we race very intentionally. It’s like a technical trial of the GLIAC championship, but without all the pressure. It’s also one of our last races where the whole team competes, so it’s one of the most fun in my opinion.”
The women’s team consists of six seniors who will suit up for their final meet this week, including Hanna Brock. The senior has earned two top-10 finishes in the outdoor season and has bolstered the Bulldogs’ roster.
Men’s
The men came out of the Extra Weekend Meet with three top-five finishes, including one from freshman Charlie Sutton, who came in fourth place in the 100-meter race with a time of 10.83 seconds.
Junior Cooper Sorsen talks about taking the week before the final meet easy compared to practices earlier in the season.
“The week before the GLIAC Conference Championship is very important to be ready for the final race,” Sorsen said. “We usually take the final week of training a little easier than we do in the beginning/middle of the season. This is because all of the work has already been done, and there is no need to add extra strain or stress to our training. We usually run a little lower mileage than usual and have a much easier workout the week of the race to make sure we are well recovered and prepared for the race.”
Sorsen has earned nine top-10 finishes over the season, including four event wins. The junior also broke the school record for the 3000-meter race earlier in the year with a time of 8:13.95.
The men’s team will see only three seniors graduate after the conclusion of the championship this week.
The GLIAC Track and Field Outdoor Championships will span three days, starting on Wednesday, April 30, before concluding on Friday, May 2.