CHAPEL HILL -- Although only a fraction of the women's track team participated in the UNC Invitational Sunday, the results were indicative of a strong season for the young Blue Devils.
"I think overall we did a much better job," assistant coach Scott Yakola said. "We're so young, and for most people this is only their second meet.
"Everything's still new, and I think we did a much better job in the aspect of mentally learning how to deal with these types of situations."
The team participated in relatively few running events, only running the 55 meters and 55 meter hurdles. Because the team is so young and there are a number of people that have returned from studying abroad, the coaches felt doing workouts was more important than racing.
There is also a risk for injury because of the wooden structure of the track that many of the younger runners are unfamiliar with.
"It's hard to perform on a Sunday afternoon when you're used to performing on a Friday or Saturday," Yakola said. "But overall, I think everybody raised themselves up and brought their performance level up a notch higher.
"They got rid of some of that timidness, and they're starting to turn the corner and get eager to compete, and that's really what we want right now in the early part of the season."
As evidence, several freshmen and sophomores set personal bests at the meet. In the long jump, freshman Kim Voyticky jumped 15-5 1/2. Fellow freshman Omeka Clark finished seventh in the 55 meters with a personal best 7.72. Freshman Kim Hay, after last week's school record-tying time in the event, came close to the mark again by finishing fourth in 7.52.
Sophomore Kirsten Johnson continued to dominate hurdles for the Blue Devils as she finished fifth in the finals of the 55 meter hurdles with a time of 8.88.
In the field events, sophomore Valenica Eggleston threw the shot put a foot and six inches farther than her previous best with a throw of 30-8 1/4. Also in the shot put, junior Megan Mitchell continued her success in the event by placing third with her 38-6 1/2 throw.
The team is now preparing for its first big meet of the season at the U.S. Air Invitational next weekend in Tennessee. According to the coaches, the meet has always been like a starting point for the Blue Devils in the past.
"We're getting fired up," Yakola said. "We're real happy with where we're at right now. We're taking steps, and I think next weekend we'll be taking leaps and bounds."
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