Like many of the other spring season teams, the women’s outdoor track and field team took their talents to Florida, and if one thing is for sure, the Huskies were focused to compete.
An outstanding 12 USM athletes qualified for postseason meets, including 14 New England Division III Championship meet marks, and one NCAA DIII National Championship meet mark at the Florida State University Relays in Tallahassee, Florida on March 25 and 26.
“This year’s performance was probably the best we’ve had in the 12 years we’ve gone on a southern trip,” USM women’s outdoor track and field Head Coach George Towle said.
Junior Bethany Dumas (Augusta) led the way for USM as she provisionally qualified for the NCAA DIII National Championship meet in the javelin on the first day of competition. With a throw of 136-3 that Towle described as a “pleasant surprise,” Dumas earned a second place finish out of 20 competitors in the event. On top of that, Dumas qualified for the NE DIII, the NEICAAA, and the ECAC DIII meets with her tenth place overall finish in the 400-meter hurdles, crossing the finish line in a time of 1:6.18. She also claimed a sixth place mark in the pole vault.
After having her tonsils taken out in early January, freshman Molly Carl (York) has made a solid comeback, and it showed at the FSU Relays as she set a school record in the 800 meters on the first day of competition in Tallahassee with a time of 2:17.14. Along with the record, Carl also qualified for the ECAC DIII and NE DIII Championships with her performance in the 800. Adding to that, she qualified for the NE DIII meet in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:08.31, good enough for 14th place.
“Molly’s splits at the relays were a pretty good clue that she had a chance at breaking the record,” Towle said. “It’s great to see her succeeding.”
Sophomore Ariel Howes (Farmingdale) was right behind Dumas in the 400-meter hurdles as she took 11th place with a time of 1:07.2, qualifying her for the NE DIII and NEICAAA meets. Senior Erin Garvey (Haverhill, Mass.) qualified for the NE DIII meet in the 800 meters as she took 15th with a time of 2:22.25.
The field events were very well represented by USM, as several Huskies amassed NE DIII, NEICAAA and ECAC DIII qualifying marks, and the throwers, who Towle said “can be argued as the best group we’ve ever had,” showcased their multiple talents against DI competition.
Junior Hannah Patterson (Londonderry, N.H.) turned in 12th place finishes in the hammer throw and discus, qualifying for the NE DIII meet in the hammer throw and the NE DIII, the NEICAAA, and the ECAC DIII Championships in the discus. Patterson heaved a throw of 140-9 in the hammer throw and a throw of 128-6 in the discus. Sophomore Jennifer Durham (Doylestown, Penn.) earned 16th place in the discus.
Senior Vanessa Baird (Dover-Foxcroft) led four Huskies who qualified for the NE DIII meet in the shot put as she turned in a personal best throw of 38 3/4. Durham, Patterson and senior Rachel Fisk (Kennebunk) followed Baird in 17th, 18th, and 19th places with throws of 35 1/4, 34-8 1/2, and 34-3.
Junior Amy McIntire (Raymond) qualified for the NE DIII meet in the pole vault as she tied for 13th place (9-6 1/4), and senior Hillary Hall (Waldoboro) qualified in the high jump by clearing 5-1.
Towle credits some of the team’s success to their recent indoor track and field season, in which many of USM’s athletes continued to compete well into March, and that he expects to be one of the most competitive teams not only in New England, but in the country.
“We’d obviously like to defend our conference title, and individually we’d like to see others reach the national meet,” Towle said. “These girls have trained very hard and we are very pleased with their performances so far.”