The indoor track and field team is at the starting line of the 2019 season as they look to continue last season’s success of winning both the 2018 men’s and women’s conference meets. 

Thus far, the team has seen competition once back in December at the Youngstown State University (YSU) Icebreaker event.

Anna Shields of the women’s team highlighted the day for the Pioneers as she was victorious in both the women’s mile and women’s 1,000 meter races.

In the mile, Shields finished in 4 minutes, 46 seconds. Just 14 seconds ahead of second place finisher Anna Brandt from Cleveland University. She was only 1 second shy of finishing even with her facility record which she set at last year’s YSU meet.

Shields did however set a facility record with her 2 minutes, 47 seconds finish in the 1,000 meter race. She finished 15 seconds ahead of her competition who was Sydni Townsend of the University of Pittsburgh.

While the entire team did not compete, a number of athletes still had the chance to compete against athletes from both National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and II. Senior Kara Rohlf completed the 5,000 meter race in 19 minutes, 8 seconds to lead the Pioneers in the event.

For the men’s team, senior Andre Bennett claimed the highest placement finishing third in the men’s 1,000 meter race. Bennett finished with a time of 2 minutes, 39 seconds. He was also the top collegiate runner in the race as the top two finishers ran unattached

In the high jump, senior Michael Morris reached a jump of 1.90 meters, just .9 meters shy of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) nationals qualifying standard. He placed seventh overall in the event.

Freshman Doug Kostelansky made his debut on a collegiate level track competing in the men’s mile race claiming 11th place. Kostelansky finished in 4 minutes, 42 seconds.

Kostelansky is one of many freshman added to the roster since last year’s conference wins for the both the  men and women.

The women’s team has since added Allyssa Campbell, Nia Goodman and Mya Mackenzie to their roster. Along with Kostelansky, the men’s team have added Christian Babo, Brody Carlin, Dan Compton, Robert Hays, Dennis McDermott, Jarrid McKenzie, Camden Seybert, Julius Thomas and Jared Thompson to their arsenal.

The team will continue competition next Saturday at University Park, Pa. in the Penn State Nittany Lion Challenge.