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Instant Peay Play: Youthful APSU Lady Govs track team beginning to turn heads

Legends Bank, Clarksville TNClarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s women’s track and field team began to find its stride at the end of its indoor season, and has carried that over into the outdoor schedule, as the youthful Lady Govs are starting to turn some heads and look to be a threat at the Ohio Valley Conference outdoor championship meet in May.

Austin Peay Lady Govs Track and Field/Cross Country Team. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Lady Govs Track and Field/Cross Country Team. (APSU Sports Information)

With a team made up of 17 freshmen, five sophomores, five juniors and just four seniors, head coach Dr. Doug Molnar – now in his 10th year – saw his team post a third-place finish at the OVC indoor championships and has followed that up with strong showings at Ole Miss University and Vanderbilt University to open the outdoor season.

“When we went down to Ole Miss they were quite upset when we took both relays from them at their own meet,” Molnar said. “Several of their girls were upset that little old Austin Peay had come into their place and had taken them down a notch or two.

“We knew that this was going to be a pretty good bunch and it may take a year or so to get to where we what them to be, but we’re very pleased with how quickly they’ve matured.”

The 4×100 meter relay team that won at Ole Miss was a pair of sophomore runners Breigh Jones and Kymmalett Ross and two juniors in Erika Adams and Maikea Davis broke a 14-year old school record by more than a second.

In the 4×400 meter relay, Ross, Davis, Jones and freshman Terri Morris won with a time of 3:47.32, which would have been the second-fastest time of the year during the 2013 season.

An though small in numbers, Molnar also give credit to his upper classmen who have shown the younger team members the ropes and what it takes to be successful.

“We still have kids (seniors) like Xiamar (Hudson), Molly Basch and some of our older kids that are really setting examples,” he said. “And these guys have taken off and followed them.”

The exciting part for Molnar is that it isn’t just one or two events that they have been doing well in; it’s been across the board from field events, to sprinters to the long distance runners – all what chipped in, stepped up and are showing they can come away with points at the conference championships.

“When we started recruiting with this bunch we looked for athletes that could score in more than one event and across the board we’re really pleased,” Molnar said. “Our distance runners are setting all kinds or PR’s (personal records), our sprinters are setting school records, and our jumpers are breaking school records.

“That’s always been our philosophy here is to try to have an across the board team and score in any event. I think we’ve accomplished that.”

The Lady Govs still have three meets left before the OVC outdoor championship at SIU Edwardsville on May 2nd and May 3rd and look to continue their improvement is hopes of knocking off five-time defending outdoor champion Eastern Illinois University.

“We’re excited about the OVC (championships) that are coming up in a few weeks here and we’ll see what happens,” Molnar said. “Right now we’re just really trying to sharpen up and do a little more speed work. That’s the big thing. Just stay healthy and be sharp for the last couple of meets.”

Chris Austin
Chris Austinhttp://www.clarksvillesportsnetwork.com
Chris Austin is a graduate of Clarksville High School and Austin Peay State University. Chris is a former Head Softball Coach for APSU, and assistant basketball coach for CHS. Chris has worked at the Leaf-Chronicle, and WJZM News/Talk/Sports radio. Has also worked at the Sports Information Department at APSU, and has covered championship events for the Ohio Valley Conference and NCAA. Chris is an avid sports fan and can be found at most Austin Peay State University sports events.
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