Ward Sutlive, Campus Carrier sports editor
Cole Baggett, Campus Carrier asst. sports editor
At the end of the spring 2025 semester, six seniors from the women’s track and field team graduated. According to head coach Luke Syverson, this led to a somewhat smaller roster than usual for this year. Because of this, several members have found new ways to hone their skills. Despite the small loss in runners, Syverson felt confident in his team’s chances during the Berry College Field Day Invitational and Multi’s, a competition that included 15 different schools and ran from Thursday to Saturday.
In Syverson’s eyes, that confidence was justified when the team placed third in the invitational. The women’s track and field team came in third place in the Invitationals. Several team members broke records. Senior Macy Murdock came in second place during the women’s heptathlon with a final score of 4,599 points. The team also did well in the women’s 1500, with senior Anna Ayers coming in fourth and junior Ella Williams coming in seventh place. Freshman Laney Ray achieved a personal record in the women’s triple jump, achieving a distance of 11.23 meters. Freshman Maddie Denney scored a personal goal of her own in discus, coming in at seventh place.
“We have a number of strong individuals on the women’s side that are poised to do well,” Syverson said. “We’re a pretty young team, but I’m feeling pretty good about the season.”
In the Invitational, Berry College competed against colleges such as Oglethorpe and Emory. The competition consists of multiple events, ranging from shot put to long distance races.
Paul Deaton, assistant coach of the track team, focuses his coaching primarily on long-distance events. According to Deaton, the team’s athletes all made great strides in their running, and he looked forward to seeing how they did in the final few meets of the season.
“April is the most exciting month of the track season for distance runners,” Deaton said. “You kind of build fitness and speed as the season goes, so the final month is where you run your fastest and everything comes together.”
The team put a lot of effort into preparing for the Invitational, with many members putting several skills and strategies gained from their time on the team to use. Junior long-distance runner Ree Williams Zoller has been incorporating several different race-pace-style workouts in her routine. Zoller said that these workouts have helped her feel more confident and prepared for
the Invitational.
Several challenges team members are facing are mental rather than physical.
“When you are pushing your body to do things it has never done before, it can be exciting, but it can also be a mental battle,”
Zoller said.
Aside from her new practice strategies, Zoller has seen a lot of other positive changes within herself. She said that she has come to a better understanding of her limits and that she now knows when she needs to step back as well as when she needs to push harder and go beyond her limits. Zoller feels far more confident about the four-lap 1500 race.
Zoller has also become more open to supporting her teammates and cheering them on during races. As a result of that newfound confidence, Zoller feels that her team has grown closer.
“I think we have such a smaller team this year, which also means we’re a lot closer,” Zoller said. “Because of that, we’re able to really get to know and support each other.”
Other members of the team face struggles of their own. Kris Williams, a junior high jumper, has only recently recovered fully from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. While she was still able to compete in the high jump, Williams acknowledged that the injury slowed her down. She also said that the physical therapy she participated in was helpful, strengthening both her body and mind.
“My attitude and mindset towards the high jump have improved a lot,” Williams said. “I used to be very hard on myself, but I’ve learned that the world’s not going to end because I miss a bar.”
One strategy that Williams uses often is something she refers to as “prehab.” This involves having a consistently healthy diet in the days before the race, as well as making sure she has the right equipment such as good compression socks. When “prehabbing,” Williams makes sure to not consume too much sodium or salt to be as light as possible. She also makes sure to have a leg massager on hand in order to fully prepare her legs for the next day’s high jump.
“I do everything I need to do in my prehab, and I care a lot about being ready,” Williams said.
Deaton said that despite some challenges, the team has maintained a healthy headspace throughout the season. He noted that many of the new team members have been great additions to the team, and the loss of many graduating seniors has not affected the performance of those who remain.
“Every individual is unique,” Deaton said. “We have a wonderful team, and they’re all improving off what they did last year rather than comparing themselves to other people who already graduated.”
Despite emphasizing the fact that track and field is ultimately a team sport, Syverson describes preparation for events like the Invitational as very individualized, often being structured around the players’ class schedules and the coaches’ availability. Syverson said that this allows for each player on the team to hone their unique, individual strengths. According to Syverson, this season has seen the rise of several standout players, such as junior shot putter Onoyeme Egure. Egure is a three-time shot put qualifier and was listed as a first-team All-American.
“We have three coaches for 80 players, so it’s a little bit different for us compared to other sports,” Syverson said.
The team’s next game will take place on April 24 at Valhalla. There, they will participate in the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) outdoor championships.
“It’s so fun to be able to share somebody’s goals and ambitions together, especially when they come together and run faster than they ever have before,” Deaton said.