2008 Woodie Awards
Exciting Season Ahead for Track and Field Team
Ethan Moore
Issue date: 3/31/06 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
With the largest team in years, the Hendrix track and field team is set to have one of its most exciting seasons in recent history. With approximately twenty athletes covering almost all of the events, head coach Patrick MacDonald is very optimistic:
"I've been really happy. It's hard to have a lot of expectations when you have a group who's so young. Most of the team is either freshmen or sophomores, a lot of whom are doing track for the first time right now. So far we've been pretty successful. I've had maybe four or five school records already. We have some kids who are borderline in national qualifying, a couple of kids who are in the top four in the conference performance list right now, so it's been pretty solid. We've brought in some very good freshmen, and we have some very good seniors who are doing real well."
While MacDonald has been pleased with the performance of the entire program, three local female athletes have proven themselves in outstanding fashion, against tough competition. Freshmen Logynn Jones and Laura Broederdorf participate in the heptathlon and the 10k respectively, and senior Julie Coats is a steeplechaser. Jones, a native of Bigelow, was an outstanding runner in high school. She appears set to make her mark at Hendrix and beyond.
"She's an exceptional sprinter and jumper," said MacDonald of Jones.
Broederdorf, of Mountain Home, is quickly making her presence felt in the SCAC. "Laura's very good for a freshman, and she is going to continue to get better. She's very good at the 10k, and she's shown nothing but improvement," MacDonald said.
Coats, a graduate of Conway Senior High School, is showing nothing but consistency in her senior year. At the most recent meet, the Lynx Invitational at Rhodes College in Memphis, Coats ran the 3000 meter steeplechase in 10 minutes and 41.27 seconds.
"She's the eighth fastest woman ever in Division III in the event. Nobody in Division III has ever run that fast in March.
"She was sixth in the event last year in the national championship and this year she wants to win it, and we're doing everything we can to do so and so far so good. She's truly a real rare talent, and there are not many better than her at this event, at this level, right now," said MacDonald.
In addition to setting the eighth fastest time in Division III steeplechase history, Coats' performance this past weekend placed her approximately fifth on the list of collegiate athletes in all divisions. According to MacDonald, Coats is likely amongst the top ten in the entire country right now.
While these three women shine, the rest of the team is not to be ignored.
With solid leadership amongst the upperclassmen and abundant talent throughout, this year's track and field team appears prepared to take on the upper echelon of the SCAC.
"I'm just hoping that they have a good time, and that they continue to improve," MacDonald said.
"I've been really happy. It's hard to have a lot of expectations when you have a group who's so young. Most of the team is either freshmen or sophomores, a lot of whom are doing track for the first time right now. So far we've been pretty successful. I've had maybe four or five school records already. We have some kids who are borderline in national qualifying, a couple of kids who are in the top four in the conference performance list right now, so it's been pretty solid. We've brought in some very good freshmen, and we have some very good seniors who are doing real well."
While MacDonald has been pleased with the performance of the entire program, three local female athletes have proven themselves in outstanding fashion, against tough competition. Freshmen Logynn Jones and Laura Broederdorf participate in the heptathlon and the 10k respectively, and senior Julie Coats is a steeplechaser. Jones, a native of Bigelow, was an outstanding runner in high school. She appears set to make her mark at Hendrix and beyond.
"She's an exceptional sprinter and jumper," said MacDonald of Jones.
Broederdorf, of Mountain Home, is quickly making her presence felt in the SCAC. "Laura's very good for a freshman, and she is going to continue to get better. She's very good at the 10k, and she's shown nothing but improvement," MacDonald said.
Coats, a graduate of Conway Senior High School, is showing nothing but consistency in her senior year. At the most recent meet, the Lynx Invitational at Rhodes College in Memphis, Coats ran the 3000 meter steeplechase in 10 minutes and 41.27 seconds.
"She's the eighth fastest woman ever in Division III in the event. Nobody in Division III has ever run that fast in March.
"She was sixth in the event last year in the national championship and this year she wants to win it, and we're doing everything we can to do so and so far so good. She's truly a real rare talent, and there are not many better than her at this event, at this level, right now," said MacDonald.
In addition to setting the eighth fastest time in Division III steeplechase history, Coats' performance this past weekend placed her approximately fifth on the list of collegiate athletes in all divisions. According to MacDonald, Coats is likely amongst the top ten in the entire country right now.
While these three women shine, the rest of the team is not to be ignored.
With solid leadership amongst the upperclassmen and abundant talent throughout, this year's track and field team appears prepared to take on the upper echelon of the SCAC.
"I'm just hoping that they have a good time, and that they continue to improve," MacDonald said.