24 Jan 2013
Sports Editor
Quentin Hope / Staff Writer
UNT track & field is competing in Houston this weekend, seeking another positive outing at the Howie Ryan Invitational and Multi’s.
The Mean Green showcased its talent early this year, kicking off the spring season with impressive showcases in the Texas A&M and J.D. Martin Invitational earlier this month.
Junior high jumper Shahaf Berini performed well last weekend in Oklahoma, as she took home first place in her event. Although the top finish might have been satisfying for others, Berini has set her eyes on something more: a personal and school record.
“I really want [first place] and to get closer to my [personal record] as well,” Berini said. “I feel like I’m ready, so it all depends on if I have a good day.”
The school record is 5 feet 9.75 inches set by Deidra Wesley in 2006. Berini fell just short of clearing 5 feet 9 inches last weekend.
Senior sprinter C.J. Fowler has nothing but great expectations for the team this weekend. He feels the team as a whole, as well as head coach Carl Sheffield, has prepared itself to keep competing at a high level.
“Coach makes sure we’re mentally focused,” Fowler said. “Whatever we’re going to have to go through at the meet, he makes sure we prepare for in practice.”
This year’s team is a highly talented group of men and women, with a few of the athletes coming off a great season last year, adding Olympic trials to their already decorative resumes.
“It was an amazing experience to run against the best in the country and in front of such a big crowd,” senior distance runner Josephine Adams said. “That was my aim for the season, and I was pleased to get there.”
Adams qualified for the trials in the women’s 1,500-meter and hopes to repeat a positive season from last year. She currently sits in first place in the Sun Belt Conference for the 3,000-meter.
“This is a competitive meet for us this weekend,” she said. “I’ve already seen my competition so I really want to run well and hopefully I can do that.”
The Invitational will begin today at 11:30 a.m. and Saturday’s events will start at 9 a.m.
