Track Quotes: Week 5

Feb. 17, 2012

Walt Drenth - Director of Track & Field

On women's squad being ranked 23^rd in the NCAA:
"I think that we've seen good progression from our women. National rankings are good for the program and it's exciting to get recognition. It's relatively objective - it's not an opinion or a vote - it's based on real numbers. It's based on our positions in every event on a national level and it's not indicative of what will happen at the conference meet. There are a number of teams ranked ahead of us in the conference in the national poll. Our intention is to go the Big Ten Championship and be as competitive as we can be. We've had very good teams that were really confident and have had a relatively good national ranking that didn't do well at the conference meet.

On his expectations for the team in their final tune-up at the Silverston Invitational and how important it is for his athletes not to overlook this meet in preparation for the Big Ten championships:
"This is really just a tune-up. That's exactly what it is. It looks like most of the jumpers and the distance runners will not compete at the event this weekend. Randy (Gillon, sprints coach) uses this meet as race prep work, while John (Newell, throws coach) uses it for timing. He feels like the sequence of competitions is important just in terms of getting in the ring and being competitive before a big meet.

On what he's learned about his athletes this year:
"With the guys, it's been about resilience. We've lost a couple of key people just in terms of point-scorers. I feel like we are still finding some momentum and everybody is making progress. We've got a really good young group. From that standpoint, I've learned about their character. With the women's side, it has been about dealing with expectations that realizing that they can be competitive. They are also becoming more of a team in that they are taking interest in each other and understanding the value of that relationship. The 400-meter runners are interested in what the throwers have done. The throwers are interested what the distance people have done. They are looking at the rankings and saying "wow, did you see our ranking in that event?", and that's a cool thing."

Sara Kroll- school record in 3000m (RS Fr., Westland, Mich./Livonia Churchill)

On her school-record 3000-meter run at the Spire Invitational:
"I went into the race being really open-minded. I've never ran a 3K (3000m) before - I've only been running the mile this season- so it's quite a longer distance for me. I just tried to stay up at the front of the pack for the entire race and go through the first mile between 4:55 and 5 minutes. We went through at 4:56 which is a little on the faster end - but it felt very comfortable. It started getting difficult in the last 600 meters, but I finished a bit ahead of where I wanted to in terms of time and it ended up being the school record. It was great experience for my first 3000m."

On whether or not she had set a strategy with teammate Carlie Green prior to the race:
"The two of us have become very used to training together, so every time we get into a race we kind of like to use that to our advantage. Most people don't have the opportunity to have teammates in the same race. After the cross country season, we became very accustomed to running and working out together. Carlie was right next to me through the first mile (of the 3000m) and I think we both ran exceptional races. To have two runners around 9:25 and faster on one team is pretty awesome."

On her first season of indoor track and the goals she had set with Coach Walt Drenth:
"Last year I had some health issues with being anemic, so my indoor season wasn't going the way I would have liked it to go. So this year, we just decided I was just going to run fast and not put a lot of pressure on myself. It's going a lot better than I had expected. I ran a huge PR in the mile at 4:44 and I was only at 4:55 last year. My main goal is just to run as fast as I can and help the team out when it comes to the conference meet. I'm really looking forward to be a big help in two weeks. "

Alysson Bodenbach - 1st in 400m (RS Jr., Clinton Township, Mich./Chippewa Valley)

On her 400-meter dash victory at the Spire Invitational:
"This was the first time this year that I had competed in the 400 (meters) - so I was pretty excited going into it. I had been running really well in the 4x400 relay and was hitting my splits. I had also been running well in the practice so I was pretty excited to get out there to see what I could do. The race at the beginning was a bit interesting because I didn't use blocks, which is something my coach is usually against, but he let me do it this time. It's more of a comfort thing for me. I got out pretty slow - but once I came around the corner I held on quite nicely. I just have had more confidence in myself than I have had in the past and I think my training has something to do with it. I feel a little bit more prepared now coming down from a 600m or 800m event down to a 400m. It's not as stressful as it used to be."

On the competiveness of the Spire Invitational:
"I knew there was going to be stiffer competition and the people I was running against were ranked highly and had some quick times from previous meets. My coach has been preaching about not worrying what other people are doing - just focus on you, your training, and your performance. That's the exact mindset I took into the race. I just want to be competitive, put my best foot forward, and see where it takes me."

On whether or not the 400m is her best event:
"It's definitely a strong event for me and I think as the season progresses it might be my strongest event. I've been running well in the 600 meters - which is a completely new event for me - but it's hard to gauge where I am on a national level because the 600 (meters) isn't a NCAA event. I think the 600 meters is more of a tactical event that the 400 (meters). At this point, I have the strength to run the 400 meters hard from start to finish whereas in the past I would have saved or held back until the end. I don't have that hindrance anymore."

On what she has done differently in 2012:
"I have to recall a meeting I had with coach going into this season. He had brought to my attention the Big Ten Indoor Champion in the 600 meters and together we looked at her stats. And he said, "you could be like her." Initially, I didn't want to be like someone else. But she had started running the 400 (meters) after running the 600 and 800. I realized that this could work for me as well. I went from running with the long sprinters to running with Amelia Bannister who tended to run an over-distance. Amelia always ran a little bit more than the 400-meter runners and trained like an 800-meter runner. I started training with her and doing more over-distance, more long runs, and my workouts became generally longer. Having her as my training partner and having someone constantly push me - and not being the one to push other people - has definitely helped."

Tori Franklin - school record in the triple jump (Fr., Westmont, Ill./Downers Grove South)

On the breaking the indoor school record in the triple jump:
"It was my last jump of the day and was excited and had a lot of adrenaline prior to the jump. It was exciting to break the record - but I'm ready to extend that distance by the end of this season."

On what she's learned in her first year of collegiate competition:
"I 've competed the same since high school and I didn't want to change that coming here. But what I've learned most has really been the details of a good triple jump."

DeVantre' Whitelow - 6th in the 60 meters and 8th in the 200 meters (Fr., Centralia, Ill./Centralia)

On his top ten finish and winning his heat in 200-meter dash at the Spire Invitational:
"In the beginning of the season I would start out too hard and I would end up dying in the last 50 or 40 meters. At this meet, I tried to go out a little bit slower and then gain speed. I did feel footsteps on my left side when I got around to the top of the curve so I started pushing with everything I had. I ended up being neck and neck with a guy from Michigan and I was able to beat him with a lean.

On whether he feels more comfortable playing off the curve of a 200-meters or running straight ahead in the 60-meters:
"My starts are not at their peak right now in the 60 (meters) but I'm working on it. I'd say I'm more comfortable with the curve of the 200 meters."

On participating on big meets so early in his career:
"I came into it knowing that I wasn't going to win every meet. In high school, I didn't lose at all. Coming into college and losing sort took a mental toll on me at first - but I've really had to look at where I'm at now as freshman and be thankful for what I've done so far."