Lady Roadrunners Continue to Show Improvement in Preparation for Season

 The State Fair Community College (SFCC) Lady Roadrunners track and field team is gearing up for the start of their indoor season. Head coach Brad Hagedorn is pleased with the progress his team has shown in practice.

"Practices have been good," Hagedorn said. "I've really noticed how much our team has improved since we started in early October. Our newcomers have adjusted to the daily training volume. They were all multi-sport athletes in high school, so they're accustomed to transitioning between seasons and working different muscle groups."

Hagedorn noted the impressive efforts of several newcomers.

"Nora Moreno has really improved," Hagedorn said. "Jocelyn Nunez doesn't look physically strong, but she gets a lot out of her abilities. She'll improve as she gains strength in the weight room. Nora looks fabulous in practice. Stahrr Williams has also been working hard in the weight room."

Leadership this year is expected to come from sophomore throwers Molly Prichard and Claire Nichols.

"Molly is a natural leader," Hagedorn said. "Claire has evolved into a leader. She wasn't that person when she came to us last year. Emma Rinaldi also sets a great example and does things the right way."

The Lady Roadrunners will face a challenging schedule during the indoor and outdoor seasons, competing primarily against four-year institutions. SFCC will kick off the indoor season at the SEMO Redhawk Invite on Saturday, Jan. 11, and conclude the regular season on Friday, Feb. 21, at the Illinois College Hilltop Classic. The NJCAA Indoor National Championships begin Friday, Feb. 28.

The outdoor season starts with the CMU Open on Saturday, March 15, and wraps up with the Grand View Classic on Friday, April 25. The NJCAA Outdoor National Championships begin Thursday, May 15.

"Our schedule is a little different this year," Hagedorn said. "We're going to Northwest Missouri State a couple of times. They have a big, beautiful facility, and we'll have the opportunity to do some great things there. I like all the facilities we'll be visiting."

Hagedorn believes sprinters and jumpers will be the most improved areas of the team this season.

"Molly will also be strong in the throws for us again this year," Hagedorn said.

Hagedorn has set goals for the Lady Roadrunners, including qualifying several athletes for national competitions.

"I'd like to see five or six girls qualify for Indoor Nationals this season," Hagedorn said. "I think we have an opportunity to qualify even more student-athletes for Outdoor Nationals. Consistency will be key. If we lose time to injuries or missed practices, it will hurt us. We're focusing on doing the little things to prepare for each practice and maintain consistency. That's why our team looks strong right now — we've been able to stay consistent through the fall."

David Rohrbach
SFCC Athletics