The Waynesburg University women’s track & field team was back in action after a weekend off due to a cancellation when it participated in the SPIRE Institute Midwest Indoor Track & Field Open in Geneva, Ohio.

The meet consisted of Division I, II and III schools, but the Yellow Jackets did not partake in team scoring.

With no team scoring, head coach Michelle Cross was eager to see how the team will perform individually.

“I was very excited to see what the team can do,” said Cross. “I have been seeing a lot of progression out of people on the team and that is what you look for during this part of the season.”

With tough competition at the meet, Cross thinks that this meet was the best competition for the team.

“It had competition for both our high-end athletes as well as for our low-end athletes,” said Cross. “Everybody that competed was in a flight or heat that was at their level.”

In track, there are four main events—sprints, jumps, throws and distance. The Yellow Jackets had success in all of them.

Cross mentioned sophomore jumper Amber Yauch for her success in the triple jump and long jump. Yauch placed 15th out of 43 total jumpers in the long jump. In the triple jump, Yauch made the top nine finals and placed eighth out of 26 total jumpers.

Yauch contributes her success to the high competition at the meet.

“I thought the competition was amazing going up against Division I and Division II athletes,” said Yauch. “It helped me be more competitive.”

Yauch had to go into this meet like any other meet to be successful.

“My game plan going into this meet was to give it my all and not to be nervous,” said Yauch. “If I’m nervous for my meet I noticed I don’t perform as well.”

Cross also mentioned sophomore hurdler Katherine Fair, junior thrower Jordan Simpson and freshman distance runner Aubrey Wingeart.

Fair crossed the finish line with a time of 10.05 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles. That time gave her the 23rd best time out of 46 competitors.

Simpson finished 13th with a distance of 10.73 meters in the shot put out of 47 competitors.

Wingeart placed top 15 in two events. Wingeart finished 14th in the mile with a time of 5:18.2. In the 3,000-meter race, she placed 11th with a time of 10:44.8.

Having the previous weekend off, the Yellow Jackets were anxious to compete but handled their emotions well according to Cross.

“I think the team was a little freaked out with the intensity of the team leading up to the meet,” said Cross. “We usually start out with less intense meets then work our way up, but the team handled everything very well with the early competitive meet.”

Yauch thinks the weekend off helped prepare the team.

“I think the last meet being cancelled was helpful for our team,” said Yauch. “We had more time to work on technique and practice for the larger meet.”

The Yellow Jackets will continue the season on Feb. 2 at the Jim Wuske Invitational in Alliance, Ohio.