On April 19 and 20, the Colgate University track and field teams competed in the Virginia Challenge at the University of Virginia, as well as the UAlbany Spring Classic, the final tune-ups before the Patriot League Championships.
Junior Sara Tabibian ran the 400 hurdles at the Virginia Classic, placing sixth overall. She will run the 400 hurdles again at the Patriot League Championships, where she will also compete in a relay. Tabibian said her prior experience at the Patriot League Championships will serve her well in this year’s edition.
“This is my sixth Patriot League championship meet,” Tabibian said. “Being a junior and having experienced multiple [Patriot League] meets, I feel confident as I know what to expect.”
On the other hand, first-year Nell Droege has not competed at the Patriot League Championships before but says she still feels well-prepared because she has an understanding of what the competition will look like.
“I ran in indoor championships as well as cross country championships,” Droege said. “I think already knowing the environment around the meet and which teams and individuals we are looking to beat helps stave off major nerves and have a goal to work towards.”
Droege, who ran the 5K at the Virginia Challenge, will run the same event again at the Patriot League Championships.
Senior Ethan Eisner ran the 100-meter, the 400-meter and the 4×400 meter relay for the men’s team at the Virginia Challenge and said the competition was challenging, but he hopes that the momentum he and his teammates built will continue in the Championships.
“We had some good performances and the 4×400 set a season’s best, so I hope we can carry over that success and get the 4×400 on the podium for the first time in my tenure,” Eisner said.
Eisner will run both the 400-meter and the 4×400 meter relay again this weekend, while also adding the 200-meter. He said that his mindset going into the championships centers around pushing himself to run the best time possible, which helps him stay focused.
“All I really care about is running fast times,” Eisner said. “Of course, I am still trying to win, but if I lose while setting a new PR, I will not care much that I lost. At a championship meet, times do not matter, so all I am thinking about is making the final, then, in the finals, I am just there to compete and win. Running fast at a championship is just a side effect of trying to beat everyone else on the track.”
Tabibian echoed Eisner, saying that working towards personal bests is one thing that keeps her motivated over the course of a long season.
“Chasing my goal time pushes me forward,” Tabibian said. “Every season, I set a target for the time I want to hit in my event and it keeps me locked in.”
Droege said it’s important for her to maintain a consistent focus and mindset across the season, but she acknowledges that the end-of-season competitions have added energy to them.
“I try to carry a similar mindset throughout the season, even for smaller meets, but I do think there is a little more of an excitement leading up to competing in a championship, as this is the goal we have been working towards all season,” Droege said.
Eisner, who will be participating in his eighth and final Patriot League Championships, said that as a senior, he tries not to take his opportunities for granted, since he knows he has limited time left to compete before the end of his Colgate career.
“Every time I have a chance to compete, I just try to maximize the opportunity because I do not have many meets left,” Eisner said. “I am motivated partly because I love the sport but I am also a competitive person and I want to prove to myself that I can compete in our conference and at the D1 level.”
Eisner’s goals for himself are to make the podium in both the 200 and 400 meters, and for the team to place in the top five. While he acknowledges that those are lofty expectations, he feels like he and the team are well-equipped to achieve what he believes they are capable of.
“There are a lot of talented athletes in the conference so these goals will not be easy to achieve, but staying focused and not letting the moment seem too big will help us achieve our goals,” Eisner said. “I fully believe I am one of the best sprinters in the conference so as long as I execute my races well, I will have no problem standing on the podium for the 400 and 200.”
Tabibian said she wants to improve on her fourth-place finish in the 400 hurdles last year and make the podium this time around. She also said she is excited to see the younger racers, like Droege, compete in the Patriot League Championships for the first time.
Droege says her goal is to score points for the team in the 5K, which requires a top-eight finish. She said getting her teammates to support each other will be important if the Raiders want to have a successful overall performance.
“As a team we want to see the most people possible score or medal and beat as many other teams as we can,” Droege said. “Since we have a smaller squad than some other schools I think it will take full commitment from every team member and support and encouragement from teammates.”
The Patriot League Track and Field Championships take place on May 2 and 3 at College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. Eisner, Tabibian and Droege will look to help the Raiders finish the season on a high note.
