Pete Paguaga, Sports Editor-
For the second consecutive track and field season, Southern’s women’s track and field team took home the NE-10 conference championship.
The Lady Owls scored an overall 155 points, beating the next closest school, UMass Lowell, by 42 points.
Alasia Griebel, a senior psychology major and distance runner, said she was happy that they were able to win this year after not being able to win the last indoor season.
“It felt really good to win,” said Griebel. “Stonehill snuck up behind us last year.”
The Lady Owls’ head coach, Chris Covert, said the whole team helped win the championship.
“All of our sprinters did a great job, our distance runners did great, the throwers, jumpers, pole vaulters all did great,” said Covert. “It was a good team performance.”
Covert is in his fourth season as head coach of the women’s track and field team and seventh season at Southern.
He spent his first three seasons as an assistant coach with the men’s track and field team. While with the men’s team, Covert was a part of many championship teams.
“The men always have a win attitude,” said Covert. “We are trying to continue what the men have done.”
Alicia Gray, a senior geography major and a captain pole-vaulter, said that winning this championship is nothing new to the team.
“We are used to our team winnings,” said Gray.
“We always have a great coaching staff, and great heart from our girls.”
Gray wasn’t the only one to praise the coaches–Covert is very proud of his coaching staff.
“We have a team that really wants to win,” said Covert.
“We also have a staff that always wants to win.”
Griebel won the mile run and was a part of the women’s distance medley group that also won at the conference tournament.
“I was a little nervous,” said Griebel. “I look at it as a workout, a hard workout, but I think that doing this will get us points.”
Gray, being a senior, said she was very happy to see the team win.
“Seeing the girls win, to us as captains and seniors, it was great,” said Gray.
Going into the outdoor season, the Lady Owls expect nothing less but to win the NE-10 Championships to make it three in a row. Coach Covert is confident that the team will stay motivated.
“We always are motivated,” said Covert.
Covert also said the staff does a good job of motivating the team.
“Our staff lets them know that they want to win more,” said Covert. “We have great kids and staff too.”
Both Gray and Griebel said they are looking to win again another championship in the outdoor season coming up.
Griebel said she plans on using winning the championship this season as motivation for the upcoming outdoor season.
“I am going to train hard,” said Griebel, “and remember how the feeling of winning is and use it.”
Gray said she wants to do well because this is her last season at Southern.
“I want to go out with a bang,” said Gray, “train the hardest and focus on the outdoor season.”
Gray also said she is thinking about changing the type of pole she uses for the pole vault event.
“I am thinking about getting a taller to be able to get higher,” said Gray.
Covert said that his team will be ready for the outdoor season.
“After you win,” said Covert, “you just don’t want to lose.”
