Boston College Athletics
Women's Track & Field Outlook 2006
January 31, 2007 | Women's Track & Field
Sept. 28, 2006
The 2006-07 season is shaping up to be another strong campaign for the women's track and field team as Coach Thomas returns many accomplished athletes, balanced by a strong freshman class. "We have a good, solid team this year, and are capable of placing well in the ACC."
Seniors Laurel Burdick, Kasey Hill, Julie Regan and Kathleen Smyth will captain the squad, according to Thomas.
The team has three multi-eventers, all capable of doing very well in the ACC, according to Thomas. Senior Kasey Hill, who set a school record in the Heptathlon with a score of 5423, also had a team high in the 100-meter dash at 12.60 seconds. Hill also had a team best in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.91 seconds.
Junior Tiana Riel placed fifth in the ACC in the indoor pentathlon with a score of 3,608, and led the team in the triple jump and long jump with scores of 35'09.5" and 18'08", respectively. Riel further demonstrated her well-roundedness with a team leading javelin throw at 83'11".
Sophomore Katie Sherman looks to improve upon her scores from last year after missing most of 2005-06 with a knee injury. Sherman did post a team high in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of one minute, two seconds, and she led the team in the 55 and 60-meter hurdles with times of 8.45 and 9.00 seconds, respectively. She also placed second on the squad in the 100-meter hurdles with a score of 14.48 seconds, Sherman was second in the nation in the pentathlon in high school and provides the Eagles with another multi-event specialist.
In the 400 and 800 meter events, junior Alison Fogarty returns with a team best 57.43 in the 400-meter indoor dash. Fogarty also had a squad best in the 400-meter outdoor dash, finishing at 56.81 seconds. Casey Hill will bring veteran experience in these events. Freshmen Caitlin Bailey, a Canadian champion in high school, and Samantha Garwych, who is a two-time cross country champion in the state of Rhode Island, and a national high school champion in the indoor mile, and Jessica Driscoll, who placed 4th in the Canadian Juniors in the 800 meter event and was a tope 20 Canadian Junior cross country runner, will round out an impressive unit. "This is one of the strongest freshmen classes we've had here, "Thomas said."
In the high jump, senior Julie Regan should score in the ACC, after posting a team best 5'06.5" in the outdoor high jump, while Katie Sherman was second in the high jump, at 5'5".
In the distance events, sophomore Mallory Champa finished sixth in the ACC at the 5000-meter run with a time of 17 minutes, 3 seconds. The Eagles also return 5th-year seniors Kristen Coon in the steeple chase, and Laurel Burdick, who was an All-American in cross country. Senior Jessica Flinn and junior Nicola Tufts add depth in the distance events, giving coach Thomas a solid all-around team.
The distance medley relay team placed sixth in the ACC in indoor competition last year, and returns Kathleen Smyth, who is outstanding in the 800 and 1500 meter events, and Mary Heitkamp was finished the 800 meters with a time of two minutes, 9 seconds. Combined, these runners give Boston College flexibility in the 400, 800, 1500 and distance medley events.
The Eagles also return the school record holder in the pole vault. Carly Rayburn Hwang, a junior, set the all-time record at 12'2'' in the indoor pole vault.
The indoor track season begins with the traditional Harvard vs Boston College Dual Meet on the first Saturday in December.
