The women's track and field team will this weekend compete in its final home meet of the season — the Tufts Invitational III at the Gantcher Center. The invitational will be the last chance for the Jumbos to ready themselves for the postseason, which will begin next week with the Div. III New England meet at MIT.
At the Tufts Invitational III, the team will be divided between two locations, with some athletes competing at Boston University and others at Tufts. Rather than competing all−out, however, the goals for the team will be simple: to maintain fitness and get as many athletes as possible to qualify for Div. IIIs.
In the Tufts Invitational II on Feb. 8, sophomore Kelly Allen and freshman Jana Hieber experienced breakthrough performances. Allen particularly excelled, posting two personal bests, including a 41−6 throw in the shot put, coupled with a 49−4 1/4 performance in the weight throw.
Hieber was able to win her first pentathlon and qualified for Nationals, a feat made even more impressive by the fact that it was also her first collegiate pentathlon. Senior tri−captain Rosie Xia has pegged Hieber as an athlete to look out for in the Tufts Invitational III and in the future New England Championships.
While Hieber looks to set individual marks at Div. IIIs, the 4x400 team also promises to be competitive, as senior tri−captain Kanku Kabongo will be making only her second career appearance in the event. Normally a short−distance sprinter, Kabongo has recently been testing her endurance.
"Coach [Kristen Morwick] wanted to see what she could do in the 4x400," junior tri−captain Kayley Pettoruto said. "And Kanku wanted to do it for the team."
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