: A club-level Hood College Track & Field team was started in the spring of 2004 with five student-athletes. As it moves into its first spring as an official NCAA program, the roster has jumped to 34.

The roster features a small number of veterans, including senior Rachel Pectol, a founding member of the original club-level group. However, over two-thirds of the participants on this year’s squad are freshmen or sophomores.

In addition to the challenge of getting the new program off the ground, the Blazers move into the well-established Capital Athletic Conference. While the numbers on the roster have improved significantly, the track team still faces the challenges of covering the 19 events contested in both the men’s & the women’s fields at the college level and competing week-in and week-out against programs that have been around for decades.

Senior leadership will be provided by Pectol, Julia Blickenstaff and Mark MacKenzie. Depth shows up in several events the Blazers have not previously contested, such as Bradley Tritsch in the triple jump and Katie Reichard in the women’s throwing events. Talented newcomers include local products Mike Cahill (TJ, sprints), Nick Manning (Urbana, middle distance), William Andrews (Walkersville, distance), Brendan Greenlees (Walkersville, middle distance) and David Frazier (Middletown, sprints). Several young returning runners round out the program including Ryan Jenkins, Faizal Johnson, Tomilayo Komolafe, Sarah Stiles and April Penn.

PREVIEWED ATHLETES

Rachel Pectol. Senior Captain. Founding Member of both the NCAA level cross country program and the NCAA level track & field program at Hood College. Should contribute significant points in the middle distances.

Julia Blickenstaff. Senior Captain. First season of track; however, a four-time letter winner in cross country where she served as a founding member. Performs well under pressure. Will be counted on to score in the distance events.

Mark MacKenzie. Senior Thrower. Finished in the top five at last year’s CAC championship meet, where Hood competed as a guest. Will be counted on to score points across a variety of throwing events.

Steve Delaney. Junior captain. School record holder at 800 and 1500 meters. Shaved over two minutes off his times in cross country and should be ready to move to the next level in track.

Katie Thomas. Sophomore. School record holder at 100, 200, 400 and both hurdles. Did not run track in high school. Has demonstrated significant improvement each season. Could substantially rewrite her previous marks and score in several events at the CAC meet.

Ryan Jenkins. Junior captain, long sprinter. Third at 200 meters in last year’s CAC meet. School record-holder at 200 and 400 meters, as well as both relays. A legitimate all-conference threat at this year’s CAC meet.

William Andrews. Freshman. MVP and school record-holder in cross country last fall. Very tough and was solidly at the 70 mile per week training range this past winter. Has better than expected speed and will compete at events ranging from 800 meters to the marathon.

Blair Ames. Freshman with better than average speed. Improved dramatically during cross country, but is considered more of a threat in track. Has been battling a minor injury, but should contribute significantly at the middle distances.

Danielle Sgro. Sophomore captain. MVP & school record-holder in cross country. Ran 1:38 earlier this spring to capture the 19 & under title at the Colonial Half Marathon in Williamsburg, Va. Should threaten school records at 5000 meters and up. Entered in the Frederick Marathon later this spring.