While most students will be spending their last weekend at Duke on campus studying, the women's track and field team will be spending it at N.C. State as it participates in the Atlantic Coast Conference meet in Raleigh.
Because of a change in Duke's schedule this year, the ACC meet coincides with the weekend before finals. Although this could pose a problem to the younger runners who are not used to the stress of the conference meet combined with the tension of finals, coaches Mike Forbes and Scott Yakola feel most of the athletes have planned ahead and should be ready.
North Carolina is the clear-cut favorite as it aims for its seventh ACC title in eight years. Although the Blue Devils are not looking to pull off an upset, they have goals of their own as they head into the meet. Six school records have been broken this year as individuals have continued to improve, and the team's hunger for improvement is the factor that has led to this year's record-breaking season.
"Records come because people perform," Yakola said. "But you can't get caught up in thinking about a record. If they run their butts off but don't break a record, I'll still be happy."
Duke has faced competition comparable to the ACC teams it will meet this weekend, and several athletes are expected to do well. Sophomore Megan Mitchell should be strong in the discus as well as senior Christine Gregorski in the heptathlon, an event in which she is looking to break the school record.
The team will be strong in the middle-distance and distance events with sophomore Betsy Keever in the 800 meters, senior Jeanne McFeely in the 1,500 meters, junior Robin Schretter in the 3,000 meters and junior Amy Gravitt in the 10,000 meters.
Junior Kris Stout will be competitive in the 400-meter hurdles along with both the 4x100- and 4x400-meter relay teams.
"Everyone is prepared to let it all hang out this weekend," Yakola said.
The meet will be special to the seniors as it will be one of their last. McFeely, Gregorski, Liz Lorscheider and Beth Berghausen have been an integral part of the team for four years, and a key to the team's success this year. In their track careers, these seniors have combined to account for 10 school records, both indoor and outdoor.
"[The seniors] have shown the younger runners by example what it takes -- hard work and a great attitude," Forbes said. "They show kids, `Look, if you stick with this and work hard, good things are going to happen."'
McFeely and Gregorski have lettered for four years while Lorscheider and Berghausen are three-year lettermen. According to the coaches, none were ever outstanding high school athletes and few people probably could have predicted how far each would come. They have led not only on the track, but off it as well.
"They are by far the most dedicated four kids I've had come through my program," Forbes said. "They show what a Duke athlete is supposed to be about. They are giving everything they have of their heart and soul to Duke. They are students first that have excelled athletically."
"I don't know what I'm going to do without them next year," Yakola said. "They've worked so hard and demanded nothing less than the best of themselves. I will always look back at this group as something special. They've made me a better coach."
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