2005 TFW at NCAA Mideast Regional -- Day 2 Quotes
5/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Q U O T E S
U-M Head Coach James Henry
On the team performance ... "The goal was to get as many people as we can to the nationals. Katie Erdman knew she was in, and she didn't kill herself for a few more points here and there. So, I was happy that she was smart enough to know her situation. Overall, as a team it balanced out to be a very good day for us. We had a couple areas that we thought would be a little better, but you're always going to have ups and downs. It looks like this weekend was definitely more ups.
On Sierra Hauser-Price qualifying in the 200m ... "I was happy with Sierra. All I wanted her to do was give her best, and it turned out she did her best -- that was a career fastest time for her -- and she competed. She went head to head against with some of the best kids in the country, and to come out of this region and head off to nationals, that's saying a lot for her. So, I'm really excited that she's extended her career for a couple more weeks."
On U-M's two event champions, Lindsey Gallo and Rebecca Walter ... "As always, they're our leaders and best, and it showed in their performances today. They ran well -- didn't extend themselves too much but they won -- and I am proud they lea the way with victories."
On preparing for the NCAA Championships ... "With the middle distance and distance group, Mike (McGuire) will do an excellent job at getting them ready. I think it will be a few more good workouts and a lot of rest, a lot of liquids and eating the right things and doing the right things and preparing for really hot weather. With Sierra, it will be the same thing."
Junior Rebecca Walter
On her 5,000-meter race ... "I was hoping that if it was a good day and everything went as planned, I would have a good race. I set my goal as a 16:15, and that's about what I ran, so I hit my goal, which was about 20 seconds faster than I've done this season. I figured this would be about the time to start peaking; hopefully, two weeks from now will bring another peak. The race went basically how Mike (McGuire) said it would; he said it would be a war of attrition and I would just have to hang on. So, I think it came down to who had the most pertinaciousness, who could hold onto their goals. I really had to dig down. I have had good race like that before, but they were during my freshman year, and I'm a junior now. I have been a little bit off because of injuries, so to be able to dig it out today made me very happy."
On returning to old form ... "This is kind of like a fresh start. Dealing with injuries, that in itself isn't fun, but then to try to come back and not be running PRs and not be running as well as you know you can -- I see a lot of my competitors who I was even with before, they're progressing. This kind of a breaking point, I think, to finish the season well and get ready for next year as well."
On the postponement of the race ... "I thought I was ready to go last night, and I was willing to wait until 11 p.m. to race, but I may have still been on an adrenaline high. I think I'm better at night races, but it was cool this morning, so it was fine."
On preparing for the NCAA Championships ... "This just triples my confidence. I have been a little bit shaky in practice, not wanting to push it as much as I used to. Seeing that I can back into it gives my confidence a big boost. I think I'll get another good, solid distance week in. The speed work and training I've been doing has been working, so I think we'll keep that up."
Senior Lindsey Gallo
On her 1,500-meter win ... "I won last year, so it was really important to me to come back and defend it. I just wanted to sit for the first 800 and then throw in a fast lap. I wanted to try and simulate how I think the race will be in two weeks, so this was a tune-up for me. We got Nicole (Edwards) through also, so it made it even more exciting. I'm really excited to have someone to join me in two weeks in Sacramento."
On heading into her final NCAA Championships ... "At indoors the focus was on the DMR, and I also had the mile. Now, in outdoors, I just have the 1,500, so I'm hoping that will make a big difference. I hope I can keep from being too emotional about it being my last race in a Michigan uniform, but I'm really excited, and hopefully I'll go out with my best race yet."
Freshman Nicole Edwards
On qualifying for the NCAA Championships ... "I'm just really excited to go to nationals; I never would have guessed that it would be in the 1,500, but it definitely was the right choice for me. I've been feeling a little tired recently, but I'm glad that I felt better today and had a good race. I got third and I'm going, so I'm very happy."
On her 1,500-meter race ... "It was a good race for me; it was a two-second PB, so I'm glad about that. I thought it would feel relaxed through the first 800 because I ran some 800s at Big Tens, and it did. I knew the third lap would be hard, and it definitely was. So, I was just trying to hang on to the girls in front of me and be in a good position to kick when I got near the end. That's what I did. The last 200, I was just running scared. I didn't want anyone to pass me."
On heading to NCAAs with Lindsey Gallo ... "I think it's very encouraging, and it's going to be very good for me. I won't have to warm up alone, I'll have someone around who I know, who's very encouraging and supportive and has so much experience. That's just going to be a big comfort, and it'll just make it a lot less nerve-racking for me."
Senior Sierra Hauser-Price
On qualifying in the 200-meter dash ... "I'm just really excited to qualify for the 200. That was my goal coming in -- to qualify for nationals. It's my last year; I achieved my goal, so I'm very happy and very excited for Sacramento."
Players Mentioned
