With the long and tedious indoor season in the rearview mirror, the men's track and field team is looking to emulate its winter success outdoors, hoping to build on its indoor accomplishments and mount a serious threat to NESCAC rivals.
"I have supreme confidence in this group of athletes to put some serious pressure on the rest of the conference this spring," coach Ethan Barron said. "We plan to make it very difficult for other teams to beat us this year."
While senior tri-captains Nate Cleveland, Dave McCleary and Fred Jones will once again lead the way for their seasoned crew, several of the runners will be competing in new events.
Although some will have to adjust to a new venue, the team still expects to carry its indoor success over to the spring season, with the intention of challenging the rest of the NESCAC for league supremacy.
"The main goals of the team are for everyone to improve and set personal records," Cleveland said. "Also we want to compete for the NESCAC championship at the end of the season."
"The main goals of the team are to place in the top two at the NESCAC and Div. III New England meets," McCleary said. "Hopefully we can also qualify for Nationals."
But if the Jumbos want to emulate their indoor success, they must rely on consistent performances across the board, from freshman Ikenna Acholonu all the way up to the seniors.
With a blend of young bodies and senior leadership, the Jumbos shouldn't have too much trouble meeting the personal records and conference accomplishments for which they are striving.
"I expect great things out of Ikenna in the 110 meter hurdles and the triple jump," McCleary said. "If he continues his success in the high hurdles then he definitely has a chance to win the 110-meter hurdles at NESCACs and even at the New England meet."
A strong showing at the championship meets will undoubtedly partially fall on the shoulders of Jones, the only Jumbo representative at indoor Nationals.
"Fred is the most consistent competitor we have had at Tufts in a long time," Cleveland said. "And he works very hard to compete at such a high level year in and year out. This being his last season competing for Tufts, I would expect Fred to put it all out there."
While the Jumbos have had a few weeks to regroup following the indoor season, they have had to train in an efficient and disciplined manner to avoid the fatigue that inevitably follows the three-month-long winter season.
"At the conclusion of the indoor season, a lot of guys were worn down and feeling the effects of the season," Cleveland said. "Since then we've had a couple of down weeks, one of which was spring break, so the team is all back together now and rejuvenated."
The team must be rejuvenated if it wants to kick off its outdoor season in a successful manner Saturday at the Snowflake Classic. And with the new challenges presented by the outdoor schedule, Tufts will not be able to slowly ease into the spring campaign.
"There are changes to many of the events as we move outdoors - changes that strengthen our team." Barron said. "We add events like the steeplechase, decathlon, javelin, hammer, intermediate hurdles and 10k. We have athletes who view each of these events as their primary focus."
For some, the move outside will be exciting for reasons other than the spring temperatures.
"I have always been much more successful during outdoor track because I run completely different events that are geared towards my strengths: 110-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles and javelin," McCleary said.
That's not to say the warm weather won't be a welcoming prospect for others, however.
"Being outside when it's nice out is great for morale," Cleveland said. "It makes working out a much more pleasant experience."
Nice weather or not, the men's track and field team is ready for the challenges that lie ahead. Hosting the season-opening Snowflake Classic, the Jumbos are taking nothing for granted.
"We are definitely a strong team with a lot of depth in certain events," McCleary said. "But Williams is an even better team outdoors than they are indoors, so we would need a bunch of guys to really step it up in order to win any of the big meets."
