Women’s and men’s track and field are joining the ranks of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College’s athletic offerings for the 2019-20 season. The addition of these two varsity sports brings the Pomeroys’ expanding intercollegiate sports teams to 13.
“We are very enthusiastic about the continued growth of the athletic department and SMWC with the addition of men and women’s track and field,” said Athletic Director Deanna Bradley.
The track and field program will support a full array of events including pole vault, long jump, triple jump, high jump, discus, shot put, hammer and all running events (steeplechase, 60-meter to 800-meter sprints and 1000-meter to 10000-meter distance).
“The addition of the women’s and men’s track and field teams fulfills another goal in our strategic plan,” said SMWC President Dottie L. King, Ph.D. “Thoughtful addition of athletics teams supports growth and enhances the student experience at The Woods. I am excited and grateful!”
Women’s and men’s cross country coach Zach Whitkanack will serve as the head coach for the new teams. He will also continue his leadership role with the Pomeroys’ cross country teams. “I was excited when I heard we would be adding track and field as the next sport at SMWC. I cannot wait to get out this spring and start recruiting,” Whitkanack said.
The track and field program will give the Pomeroys’ cross country teams an added advantage. Several student-athletes entered spring track events as unattached participants in order to stay in shape and compete at a high-level. The addition of track will allow student-athletes to work as a team during an otherwise quiet period.
“The cross country program will benefit from this because it will allow the student-athletes to compete year round,” Whitkanack said. “We have many runners very pumped about having the opportunity to participate in track and field.”
Two of them, cross country athletes Brady Page and Kendyll Schulz, both freshmen, bring plenty of track experience from high school. Page and Schulz both intend to join track and are very excited about the diversity it will bring to SMWC Athletics. “As a member of the cross country team, I know it [the new program] will help us because it will keep us racing all year and keep some speed on our legs,” Page said. “It will also bring in even more great student-athletes to SMWC which will boost both the athletics and the College.”
Thanks to a partnership with the Vigo County School Corp., the Pomeroys will be able to use West Vigo High School’s track and field facilities in West Terre Haute. VCSC Superintendent Daniel Tanoos, Principal Ryan Easton and Athletic Director Kenny Pearson, were instrumental in making this a reality for the program.
“The Vigo County School Corporation and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College continue to enjoy many great partnerships in academics and athletics. This new collaboration adds to the long list of great things happening between two wonderful places that educate the future leaders of our community, state and world,” Tanoos said.