In their final meet before the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Indoor Championships, the Miami University indoor women's track & field team competed in the Ball State University Quadrangular. Despite resting several athletes the 'Hawks still had a solid showing.
Miami had strong performances in field events from several different athletes, particularly those in the pole vault and shot put.
Sophomore pole vaulter Kori Tatman won the pole vault with a new personal best of 12 feet, 9 inches (12-9.0). With that vault, Tatman claimed the secondbest mark in school history.
"I didn't do anything specific to get ready for this meet," Tatman said. "It was more just hard work all season long and it finally paid off, like my coaches said it would. It's good that I broke a new mark right before MACs."
Senior pole vaulter Sarah Kinnaman and freshman pole vaulter Taylor Brown finished second and fourth also setting personal bests with clearances of 12-2.75/3.73m and 10-9/3.28m, respectively.
The field event success continued with senior thrower Alexandra Roberts, who has proven herself as one of the top throwers in the MAC this season, finishing in the top five in nearly every meet. The Ball State competition was no different as she set a new personal best and fell just short of breaking the current school record of 50-0.75 feet, which she set nearly one year ago at the MAC Championships.
"Each meet has been better for me as far as my comfort level," Roberts said. "I knew that with a new throwing coach, it would take some getting used to, but I knew it would be good for me to get better and I think that has shown this season. I am really focused on improving my distance and I'm excited at the thought of breaking my record at MACs."
On the track, junior hurdler Layne Baggett finished fourth in the 60-meter hurdles, with a time of 8.63 seconds, matching her current season-best. This was the first meet that Baggett did not lower her time in a season where she has been flirting with the current school record of 8.47 seconds.
"This weekend did not go as I hoped it would," Baggett said. "In the final race, I was more focused on what my competition was doing instead of focusing on myself, which cost me the race and time at the end."
Senior sprinter Diona Graves shared the same sentiment of disappointment in her performance, as she finished fourth in the 60-meter dash in 7.73 seconds.
"I don't think it was my day," Graves said. "I had some really bad starts, but this meet was just a tune-up, so I'm not too worried. I just know I have to do big things this weekend."
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Putting their fourth-place team finish behind them, the 'Hawks are now gearing up for the much-anticipated MAC Indoor Championships this weekend at the University of Akron's Stile Field House.
In a wide-open conference, Miami will look to capture its first indoor title after last season's third-place finish.
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