Blake Albrecht, interim co-head track and field coach, has coached at Vincennes University for two years, but this is his first year being one of the head coaches for the track and field team. Albrecht also is the head coach of VU’s cross-country team.

According to Albrecht, the track and field team has a really large roster this semester, with about 50 students. With having a large roster comes the challenge of balancing practices with the students’ class schedules. Albrecht said that he and his fellow interim co-head track and field coach, Tim Marsee, hold about four to six practices every day as a means of coordinating with each team member’s academic and athletic needs.

Every team member works hard to be the best they can be in the events they participate in: they all practice six to seven times a week.

The coaches’ and students’ hard work and dedication has paid off.

“We had a lot of really good things happen this season,” said Albrecht. He mentioned that several student records have been broken, and a number of students have earned All-American titles.

“We’ve had a lot of success so far. We’ve run a lot of fast times, and the kids are having fun.”

Albrecht said that the most rewarding part of being a coach for the track and field team is getting to know the athletes.

“I love the look of that kid who has worked really really hard, and they’ve struggled and they finally make it over the hump and are successful,” explained Albrecht. “That’s why I started [coaching]: to try and help kids chase their dreams.”

Marlowe Mosley, St. Louis, Illinois, biomedical, has been a sprinter on VU’s track and field team for two years. Mosley made it to Nationals and beat the all-time school record for the men’s 400-meter during the indoor portion of their season. Despite these successes, Mosley feels like he still has room for improvement.

Mosley describes track and field as a “tough sport.” He said that many people assume sprinters like him are naturally fast, but Mosley disagrees with that. He claims that being successful in races requires putting in hard work, and that “speed is a skill, not a talent.”

Mosley’s favorite aspect of being on the track and field team is the individuality of it. He said that although track and field is technically a team sport, it still allows for individual students to shine more than other sports might.

Merica Valdez, Albuquerque, New Mexico, wellness and exercise, has also had a lot of successes this season. Also a second year student, Valdez is a pole vaulter. She made it to Nationals and has scored considerably high throughout the season, earning herself an all-time top five position in both women’s indoor and outdoor pole vault events.

“I’ve made a lot of improvements, and I look forward to making more,” Valdez spoke of this season.

For students that might be considering joining the track and field team, Valdez said that “it is a great way to stay involved and be a part of something.”