UTRGV Men’s and Women’s Track and Field teams competed in their first meet Jan 20. at the Robert Platt Invitational at the University of Houston, achieving eight top-five placements.
Asked how the teams have been preparing for the season, head coach Shareese Hicks replied, “Mentally, just making sure that they know we practice how we compete. Every day is a great opportunity to really get better and better for your actual competition.”
Hicks was a finalist in the 400-meter dash in the 2012 USA Olympic Trials and earned a bronze medal in the 2008 4×400-meter relay team in the World Indoor Championships, according to goutrgv.com.
She said the teams keep training and making sure that they push themselves in practice.
Hicks is excited about the next two Texas Tech meets because those are opportunities to compete in world-class facilities and has high expectations for the athletes.
“We’re expecting everyone to contribute whenever it comes to scoring in conference,” she said. “And for everybody to be a role player.”
Freshman sprinter and jumper Jedediah Udunna said the team chemistry is really good. He said they are close like a family. Udunna said the coaches are like parent figures to them.
“We always have fun with them,” he said. “We’re free to be able to express whatever we need to them. They definitely always help out.”
Udunna placed sixth in the long jump at 7.22 meters, which set a second-place school record.
He has been preparing by practicing from 12:30 until 3 p.m.
Team members have been making sure that their technique is good and that everyone pushes each other as a team.
“As far as mentally, we have life skills as well as a bunch of other team bonding and meeting that just helps make sure everybody is in a good mental space,” Udunna said.
Asked how he expects the season to go compared to last season, he replied that he expects it to go better than his high school season.
“The coaches are bringing in a lot of experience,” Udunna said. “There’s Olympians and world champions, like, they’re all coming from different backgrounds and definitely bringing something to the table. I feel like we’re a whole bunch of raw athletes and they’re going to help craft us to be what we’re supposed to be.”
Udunna said he is excited for the long-jump competitions and the 60- and 200-meter dash since those are the events he competes in.
He said he is ready to win some championships and wishes he could have done even better in his first meet.
“Again, this is my first time competing indoors,” he said. “So, it’s a change in environment. Hopefully, by the next meet, next time we’re able to talk, I’ll have the first place record in the school.”
Hicks said the team chemistry is outstanding.
“Sometimes, I’m coach Hicks, sometimes I’m Mama Hicks,” she said.
Hicks said the teams are like brothers and sisters, and they compete like brothers and sisters.
The teams were scheduled to compete last Friday and Saturday at the Texas Tech Open and Multis in Lubbock. Results were not available at press time. They will return to Lubbock Feb. 10 and 11 for the Jarvis Scott Open.
On the women’s team, graduate thrower Marlene Gutierrez said the first meet showed how their hard work has paid off.
The teams’ throwers are coached by four-time Olympian Cleopatra Borel, a finalist in the shot put event in 2016, finishing seventh with a throw of 18.37 meters, according to goutrgv.com.
“I feel like with the work that we’ve put in, we’re gonna see results,” Gutierrez said. “So, I kinda like to keep my expectations as, ‘Go out there, have fun and do what you do, throw’ and that makes it easier.”
Graduate sprinter Jada Hoffman said she was not nervous during her first meet.
“I wasn’t even scared,” Hoffman said. “I really felt prepared. I think what they’ve done, so far, has really prepared us for this season. It’s just happy, ready to get it done because you know we start indoor season kind of late. We’re just sitting and waiting, and now we’re finally here.”
She said she felt excited to be competing against people other than her teammates and that she feels prepared since they have been training since August.
Hoffman also achieved second place for the school record for the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.74 seconds at the Robert Platt Invitational.
A native of Chicago, she is excited to compete in Texas.
“You know, everyone always says, ‘Texas is fast,’” Hoffman said. “I mean, we were in Houston last week and that was the fast track. I’m excited for every track meet in Texas.”
She said she is ready for the next two meets, which are at Texas Tech.
“I’ve never been able to be at a Texas Tech meet before,” Hoffman said. “I’m just excited to actually be at the track. Last week, there was a collegiate record broken in the 60 hurdles. … I can’t wait to experience that, and, hopefully, we can all make history with UTRGV.”
The Vaqueros are set to compete in the Western Athletic Conference Indoor Championships Feb. 27-28, followed by the National Collegiate Athletics Association Indoor Championships March 10-11. The season finishes with the NCAA Outdoor Championships June 7-10.
