After a disappointing end to the 2010 season, the Wayland women's track and field team is ready to step back on the track in 2011. That happens this weekend when the Pioneers will compete in the annual Texas Tech Invitational on Friday and Saturday in Lubbock.
Last year the WBU women just missed out on their third consecutive NAIA Indoor title, finishing one point behind national champion Oklahoma Baptist. During the outdoor season, the Pioneers were hampered by injuries and finished just out of the top ten.
This year's squad is very young, but both head coach Brian Whitlock and associate head coach Rohan Thompson believe that the team has a chance to climb on the podiums in both March and May.
"If things fall just right and we can stay healthy, there is a good chance that we can get back on top," said Whitlock. "This is a talented group, and the girls always compete well at the national meet."
A lot of the success of the Pioneer women this year will rest on the shoulders of senior Latanya Nation and junior Bianca Grant. Ten-time sprint national champion Kimberly Smith, the reigning Outstanding Female Performer at the NAIA Indoor Championship meet who went undefeated during the indoor season a year ago, will red-shirt this year.
Nation is an 11-time All-American. At last year's indoor meet she had the top time going into the finals of the 60-meter hurdles after running a school-record 8.63 in the semi-finals and was one of the favorites in the triple jump, but suffered a severe hamstring injury on her fourth jump and was unable to complete her final two jumps or to compete in the hurdle finals. The Jamaican, who was forced to sit out the outdoor season, looks to be fully recovered.
A sprinter and jumper from Needville, Texas, Grant has earned All-American honors seven times and won the national championship in the long jump at the 2010 outdoor meet.
"We're expecting huge things from Latanya and Bianca this year. Both have had lots of success in the past in a number of events, and this year should be no different."
Another junior, Leandria Lee of Tyler, Texas, came on strong during the outdoor season a year ago. A sprinter, Lee has won two All-American designations as part of the Pioneer's 4x400-meter relay teams.
"Coach Thompson works with the sprinters and jumpers. He has spoken highly of Leandria saying that she has stepped up and should be very productive this season."
Of the nine other sprinters on the WBU roster this year, all but two are freshmen. Sophomore Brittnay Walton is the only other returning runner. The Borger High graduate ran in the preliminary rounds of the sprint relays last year.
Among the freshmen are three from Houston area high schools. Chyna Calloway, the Most Valuable Runner at Langham Creek High School whose specialty is the 400-meter hurdles, will help out on the 4x400-meter relays and could score points in the indoor 400- or 600-meters.
Quanisha Holmes, a state qualifier at Clear Book High School, has looked good when healthy during preseason workouts according to Whitlock. She will most likely compete in the 200- and 400-meters.
Shykilia Sheppard, whose specialties are the shorter sprints and the long jump, graduated from Reagan High School where she was a regional qualifier. "Shykilia has been outstanding so far in the fall. She has been the biggest surprise so far out of the group."
Two other newcomers to the Pioneer sprint team singled out by Whitlock are Angie Quiah and ShKendra Hightower. Quiah is a sophomore from Providence, Rhode Island who was a three-time state champion and an All-State performer in the 100, 200, and 400-meters, as well as the 4x100 and 4x200-meter relays.
Hightower is an area product from Lubbock's Monterey High School. She was a Class 5A state qualifier in the 300-meter hurdles in 2010.
"Angie has been hurt, but if she's healthy she can help us. ShKendra is a big-time recruit who we are counting on to do big things in the 400 and on the 4x800 relay team."
Rounding out the group of sprinters competing for the Pioneers this winter and spring are freshmen Janelle Durrough of Altus, Okla. and Briana Evans of St. Louis, Mo., and sophomore transfer Dananai Semwayo of Miami, Fla.
Local product Rebekah Spain of Plainview Christian Academy is a multi-sport athlete whom Whitlock says has a good future ahead of her.
In the middle distances, WBU returns 2010 sophomore All-Americans Milca Villegas of Ft. Worth and Jennifer Secrest of Splendora. Both ran on the 4x800-meter relay teams that finished as the runners-up at both the indoor and outdoor championships.
"Milca ran well last year on the outdoor relay. We're looking for her to score points as an individual now this year. Jennifer had a very good cross country season in the fall, so we're hoping that will transfer onto the track."
Two freshmen, Mackola Joseph of Jamaica and Kristy Hannah of Albuquerque, are the other middle-distance runners. "Mackola didn't run well in cross country, but she got here late and was out-of-shape. She has looked really good on the track and I think she will make our 4x8 relay much better. Kristy, on the other hand, suffered a stress fracture during cross country and she's still recovering, so she's way behind right now."
Sophomore Catherine Leubner and freshman Kendra Dunn are the two distance runners on the WBU women's team.
