The Track Bison are Heatin’ it Up

Before my current writing life, there was The Hilltop, Howard University’s and the Nation’s Oldest Black Collegiate Newspaper, where many of the questions and themes I still explore first found their voice. What follows are my early published works, preserved in their original form.

From The Hilltop Archives

Originally published in The Hilltop, Howard University — March 26th, 2004

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The Track Bison are Heatin’ it Up

"The group is hungry," Head Coach Michael Merritt simply stated. 

It's been a little over a month since MEAC Championships left a few of the Bison with a bad taste in their mouth. 

The 60 hurdles left David Oliver Nicholas Wright and Bianca Roberts with brushed egos. There were just a few of the stumbles and stutters, but as Coach Merritt explained, it's part of the sports, falls and trip-ups. When it rains it pours and it wasn't the men's luck." Despite finishing 11th, Merritt was please with their performance.

The women, on the other hand, were a different story. 

"The women did a complete turnaround," said Assistant Coach Kenyatta Grigsby. They improved upon their last place finish in the 2003 MEAC Indoor Championship to finish in sixth with 38 points. 

Both the men's and women's had a good showing during the indoor season, but Merritt clarified that indoor isn't their real thing.

With the outdoor season comes outdoor training, however, the weather has been cooperative or consistent. 

"We hold our own despite what we had to work with," Merritt said. "It would be nice not to train in the cold, sleet and hail, but it's not going to stop us. I tell the team 'we're not made of sugar, we won't melt."

The weather forced the Bison inside Burr where they were left training on the stadium stairs, doing loops in the hallway and block work. Coach Grigsby thought that their rare visits to the track would hurt them as they traveled to UNC-Charlotte last week. 

How wrong she was.

In their first outdoor meet, 22 people qualified for conference leaving the competition shocked.

"Seeing how we haven't practiced outdoor, we ran faster than teams who practiced in warm weather," Grigsby said.

"When you get warm weather you feel that hunger and go after it," said Merritt.

The forecast this weekend calls for 70 degree weather as the Track Bison head down I-95 South back to North Carolina. This time it's the Raleigh Relays. 

On Wednesday, as Merritt passed out their meet sweats the Bison waited and expressed confidence as they gave their comments on last week, this week and future meets.

Erica Day, 200 and 400 runner and 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 relay:

The 4x100 will definitely be making some noise. Our 4x100, 4x200 and Sprint Medley will also turn heads. Too bad no one will get to come support and see us run.

 

Vage Beasley, long jumper and hurdler:

The season is going pretty cool. I hope to blow them out of the water.

 

Cobi DuBose, hurdler: 

After missing indoor Nationals by 2 hundredths of a second, I look forward to qualifying for Regionals and at least getting an 'at-large' bid for the NCAA Nationals in the 110 hurdles.

 

Alyssa Johnson, hurdler: 

Outdoor is no joke. The competition has a lot of heat, so everyone has to be on their game

 

Krystal Perkins, 1500 meter runner and 4x1500 relay:

The women's distance relay is destine for Penn Relays.

 

Gerald Bright, 1500 meter runner:

My goals are to score points at Outdoor Championships in the 1500, Steeple Chase and 5000. The distance team and hurdlers are definitely carrying the team right now.

 

David Wynn, 4x800 relay: 

This will be the year where we'll try and put the HU 4x800 relay on the map

 

Khary Kenyatta, 800 runner:

Last year, I missed Regionals by six hundredths of a second. I plan to make it this year in the 800 and 1500. I was out for two months during the indoor season with an injury and still placed fifth in the 800 at conference. So outdoor you can look for big things.

 

Edgar Sams, 400 hurdler and 800 and 1500 runner:

I have big expectations for the whole middle distance squad. Our 4x800 relay is looking to turn some heads at peen relays. All I can say is that we will be dangerous at the conference championships.