Sophomore Jessica Rydberg

Irish Women Look To Veterans For Leadership In 2010-11

Dec. 2, 2010

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame women’s track and field team enters the 2010-11 season returning several student-athletes and welcomes numerous talented freshmen while graduating only a handful of seniors from last season’s squad. This combination will pave the way to success for the 2010-11 campaign.

“This season will be a successful one on the women’s side,” says head coach Joe Piane, who is entering his 36th season at the helm of the program. “We have a strong group of returners as well as solid young athletes which I believe will bolster the program.”

However, while the loss of All-American sprinter Joanna Schultz will leave quite a void in the Irish roster, it will provide an opportunity for a number of returners to step up and fill Schultz’s pivotal role.

“The key loss is Joanna,” says assistant coach Amy Henry. “She had a heavy impact on the team, being that she could run anything from the 400-meter hurdles and down if we needed her to. Finding her replacement will be a big task, but our team is up to the challenge.”

Other key contributors lost to graduation were two of the most accomplished throwers in program history, Jaclyn Espinoza and Elise Knutzen.

Fortunately for the Irish, there are several student-athletes ready to step up and fill the roles of their graduated teammates. Among them is distance member Jessica Rydberg (Pinetop, Ariz./Blue Ridge). The freshman concluded the 2010 outdoor season as an All-American in the 10,000 meters.

In addition to Rydberg, the middle-distance and distance runners welcome back seniors Kelly Langhans (Baden, Pa./North Allegheny) and Abby Higgins (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) and junior Natalie Johnson (Englewood, Colo./Xavier College Prep). The trio has proven that they are able to contribute significant points in their respective events at several indoor and outdoor contests.

Additionally, junior Allison Schroeder (Ottawa, Ohio/Ottawa-Glendorf) will return to the middle-distance squad.

“Allison has been solid for us in the relays,” says assistant coach Tim Connelly. “We are hoping to see her reach the next level and become an individual scorer at the league meets in the 800 meters. Overall, there is a good group of middle-distance runners returning. Langhans, Higgins, Johnson and Schroeder will all bring a lot of experience to the team.”

On the longer distance side, sophomore Rebecca Tracy (Barrington, Ill./Barrington), senior Marissa Treece (Maple City, Mich./Glen Lake) and senior Erica Watson (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) have all scored for the Irish at past BIG EAST meets and will be looked upon to continue their contributions to the team. Graduate student Lindsey Ferguson (Greenfield Center, N.Y./Saratoga Springs), who is limited only to outdoor eligibility, will compete in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the five-kilometer race.

Sophomore sprinter Nevada Sorenson (Sioux Falls, S.D./Lincoln) will focus on the 400-meter hurdles as well as the 4×100 and 4×400-meter relays.

“Nevada is very competitive,” says Henry. “She has the ability and drive to run anything she sets her mind to.”

Kali Watkins (Newport News, Va./Menchville) will primarily run the 100-meter hurdles for the Irish.

“We are looking forward to watching Kali step up and run the way we projected her to when she arrived at Notre Dame,” Henry says.

Senior thrower Rudy Atang (Houston Texas/St. Pius X) holds the program record in the outdoor shot put with a heave of 49-4 feet. The tosser will return as a weight and shot put thrower during the indoor season, and shot put and hammer thrower in the outdoor campaign.

Long- and triple-jumper Jasmine Williams (Phoenix Ariz./Xavier College Prep), pole-vaulter Chrissy Finkel (Montville, N.J./Montville Township) and multi- event specialist Maddie Buttinger (Waterloo, Ontario/Resurrection C.S.S.) will add to the team’s success. Buttinger has placed at two BIG EAST meets, as the Canadian product finished third in the pentathlon at the latest indoor meet and second in the heptathlon at the outdoor meet.

Incoming freshmen include sprinters Michelle Brown (Shamong, N.J./Seneca) and Aijah Urssery (Inglewood, Calif./St. Mary’s Academy). Brown will run the 400 meters and Urssery will be a short sprinter. Both will be expected to help out in the 1,600-meter relay.

“Even though we lost Schultz we will add Brown and Urssery,” says Henry. “They will boost our sprints crew and will provide a step in the right direction for us becoming a total sprint crew.”

Kelly Burke (Cranford, N.J./Cranford) will join assistant coach Jim Garnham’s squad of jumpers, while Vivien Devaney will assist the throwers under the direction of Beltran.

Joining the middle distance and distance events are Meg Ryan (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Warde), Kelly Curran (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington Central Catholic), Alexa Aragon (Billings, Mont./Billings Senior) and McKinzie Schulz (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy).

“Ryan, Curran, Aragon and Schultz have the capability of scoring for us at the BIG EAST meets,” says Connelly. They all have the potential to be very good 800-meter, 1,500-meter and 3,000-meter runners.”

By combining such a strong group of returners and talented newcomers, the Notre Dame women’s track and field team hopes to continue its steady stream of improvements and succeed at the highest level of competition.

The men’s and women’s track and field team opens the 2010-11 indoor track season at the Blue and Gold Meet on Friday (Dec. 3) at 5:00 p.m. at the Loftus Sports Center in Notre Dame, Ind. The competitors in the meet include DePaul, Detroit Mercy, Marquette and Bethel College.

Check back to und.com for a full recap and results of the meet.

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