Women’s Indoor Track and Field 2016-2017 Pre-Season Outlook

TOWSON, Md. – The 2016-2017 Goucher Women’s Indoor Track and Field team will look to improve on their 5thplace finish in the Landmark Conference a year ago. This year’s team features a mix of veterans and newcomers who hope to move the team up in the conference standings.

Head coach John Caslin enters his 15th season at the helm of the program. He is also the coach for the women’s indoor and outdoor track and field teams and the men’s and women’s cross country teams. He has coached a number of All-Academic athletes in all of his sports as well as 2 track and field Athletes of the Year and a Rookie of the Year when Goucher was a member of the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC). He was named twice as Coach of the Year in the CAC.

The team’s key losses from last year’s team are Kamillah Smith, who was All-Conference in the 100 and 200 outdoors and the 60 and 200 indoors;  Monique Welch, who helped to anchor the sprints and relays, and Danielle Granger (hurdles).

This year the team will be led by senior Rebecca Kotula (pole vault), junior Laura Williams (high jump, 60 hurdles) and sophomore sprinter Maya Belin, who finished 3rd last year in the 60 dash and is the top sprinter returnee in the Landmark.  Key newcomers are freshmen Natalie Kent (throws), Taylor Gunter (throws) and Anna Gallina (sprints).

Caslin notes “The Goucher women should make the next step up from their 5th place finish a year ago. The loss of seniors Kamillah Smith and Danielle Granger, will be hard to replace early. With Maya Belin returning in the sprints and a talented first year class in the throws and sprints we hope to move into the top 4 range this year, certainly by the time we get outdoors.”

The women’s team will begin their season on Saturday December 3 at 10am with a meet at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.