Women’s track team opens season with victories

The USF women’s track team is up and running and off to a good start.

The season started Dec. 7, 2007, with an indoor meet at the Saginaw Valley State University Holiday Classic in Saginaw Valley, Mich. The Bulls posted 10 first-place finishes out of 11 events.

“We did a good job our first meet out for the season,” coach Warren Bye said. “The girls worked very hard in the fall and they all came back in good competition shape, ready to compete.”

Junior Yvana Hepburn set a meet record of 8.73 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles.

According to Bye, it is the fourth fastest time in USF history.

Freshmen Stephanie Duffy and Dana Webb, along with senior Karla Savery, finished with the top three spots in the pole vault, and junior Vanetta Randle took first in the 80-meter dash and long jump, which qualifies them to compete in the Big East Championship, February 23-24.

“We’ve improved our depth since last year, our freshmen stepped up, and our goal is to do well at the Big East Championship,” Bye said.

Senior Courtney LaCroix’s high jump of 1.66 meters and the 4×400 meter team’s first-place finish also qualify for the conference championship meet. Hepburn will join them.

This Saturday the team traveled to Bloomington, Ind. to compete in the Indiana Open, where four more members qualified for the championship – seniors Maressa Pinzini and Taylar Stallings, and freshmen Denise Von Eynatten and Beki Finn.

According to Bye, Von Eynatten broke the USF pole vault record with 4.12 meters.

Senior Rosalynn Woodberry finished first in the triple jump. Hepburn and Pinzini placed second in the 60-meter hurdles and 800 meters.

The next indoor meet will be the Maryland Invitational in Landover, Md., on Saturday.