UPCO MIN G - Index Archivesindex.truman.edu/pdf/2016-2017/february9/page8.pdf · UPCO MIN G EVEN T...
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THURSDAY, FEBRURARY 9, 2017 8 Tarantino and Smestad focus on continuing success BY CURT WICHMER Staff Writer The second semester of college is about trying to finish the year strong. That statement is especially true for student athletes. In particular, two ath- letes in Truman State University’s track and field department are looking for that strong finish — senior Laura Tarantino in distance running and sopho- more Cassidy Smestad in shot put. Last semester, Tarantino placed 18th at nationals in cross country and led the Bulldogs to a 5th place finish at the GLVC Championships. In her previous season, Smestad was GLVC shot put champion. Regardless of sport, each athlete is looking to finish this season by building on the successes of their pasts. Tarantino is currently taking part in indoor track season, which has a con- ference championship meet Feb. 25. The grind doesn’t end on the indoor track, however. Tarantino said she has been focusing on preparing for the out- door meets which start again in April. Tarantino said the conference meets are all about scoring points, and she said she wants to score as much as she can in her events, whether it’s in the 3K indoors or the 5K in the outdoor season. She said she has been focusing particularly on the outdoor 10K and hopes to grab a provisional mark again and reach nationals in May. Tarantino said she has a lot of good memories with the team and wants to leave on a high note. “Placing fifth this year at conference was really memorable,” Tarantino said. “We even made a bet with coach last year that if we made it that far, he’d cook us all dinner. I can also remember a lot of times where everyone is up early at 5:45 a.m. training together, so being together in the early morning is pretty memorable, too. I’m very excited, and I’d really like to enjoy these last few months with my teammates after these four years.” Tim Schwegler, track and field and cross country head coach, said Taran- tino has improved every year, in large part because of her inner competitive drive and self motivation. Schwegler said based on stats alone, Tarantino is easily one of the top 50 distance runners in the country. He said the team’s goal is to always do the best it can in conference. He also said Tarantino has gotten good points for the team during her other three years, and he is look- ing forward to watching her perform. Making a strong representation for the Bulldog women in field competition, Smestad is currently tied for 25th in Div. II shot put and is preparing for her meet in Indianapolis this weekend. In 2016, Smestad was GLVC Champion in shot put and placed 15th in the NCAA national tournament. Smestad said for her, the end of indoor season is all about preparation for outdoor season. She said she hopes to make it to the national indoor meet this semester and thinks she has the discipline, drive and determination to make it possible. “I know that I have set the bar pretty high for my track and field career this past season, and I really want to be so much better than that this year,” Smestad said. “I have been putting in a lot of time in the weight room and practices. I believe that it is really important to have a good outlook and mindset when it comes to tough competition, so I have been focusing on that a lot lately. I like to say that there are no days off — this makes me work harder and make my training count.” 30 Left: Senior Laura Tarantino crosses the finish line, earning a victory in Truman’s cross country meet this fall. After her best-ever cross country sea- son, Tarantino now shifts gears to indoor track and field distance running. Right: Sophomore Cassidy Smestad pracces her discus form at a pracce last spring. Smestad’s main event is the shot put, in which she is currently in the top-25 in Div. II. Photo by Rachel Steinhoff/ TMN U P CO MIN G EVENT S Baseball 2/11 2/11 2/12 Noon vs. Northwest Missouri State University 3 p.m. at University of Nebraska Kearney Noon vs. Henderson State University Arkadelphia, Ark. Arkadelphia, Ark. Arkadelphia, Ark. Soſtball 2/11 2/11 2/12 2/12 3:45 p.m. vs. West Alabama University 8:15 p.m. vs. North Alabama University 11:15 a.m. vs. Mississippi College 1:30 p.m. vs. Delta State Montevallo, Ala. Montevallo, Ala. Montevallo, Ala. Montevallo, Ala. Track and Field 2/11 TBA at Tom Hathaway Classic Indianapolis, Ind. Swimming 2/8 - 2/11 at GLVC Championships Crawfordsville, Ill. men and women’s Basketball 2/9 2/11 7:30 p.m. vs. Lewis University 5:30 p.m. vs. University of Wisconsin-Parkside Romeoville, Ill. Kenosha, Wis. men’s women’s Basketball 2/9 2/11 5:30 p.m. vs. Lewis University 1 p.m. vs. University of Wisconsin-Parkside Romeoville, Ill Kenosha, Wis. Wrestling 2/9 2/12 7 p.m. vs. Graceland University TBA at Maryville University Lombardi Duals Kirksville, Mo. St. Louis, Mo. Photo by Lindsay St. John/ TMN
Transcript of UPCO MIN G - Index Archivesindex.truman.edu/pdf/2016-2017/february9/page8.pdf · UPCO MIN G EVEN T...
THURSDAY, FEBRURARY 9, 20178
Tarantino and Smestad focus on continuing success
By Curt wiChmerStaff Writer
The second semester of college is about trying to finish the year strong. That statement is especially true for student athletes. In particular, two ath-letes in Truman State University’s track and field department are looking for that strong finish — senior Laura Tarantino in distance running and sopho-more Cassidy Smestad in shot put. Last semester, Tarantino placed 18th at nationals in cross country and led the Bulldogs to a 5th place finish at the GLVC Championships. In her previous season, Smestad was GLVC shot put champion. Regardless of sport, each athlete is looking to finish this season by building on the successes of their pasts.
Tarantino is currently taking part in indoor track season, which has a con-ference championship meet Feb. 25. The grind doesn’t end on the indoor track, however. Tarantino said she has been focusing on preparing for the out-door meets which start again in April. Tarantino said the conference meets are all about scoring points, and she said she wants to score as much as she can in her events, whether it’s in the 3K indoors or the 5K in the outdoor season. She said she has been focusing particularly on the outdoor 10K and hopes to grab a provisional mark again and reach nationals in May. Tarantino said she has a lot of good memories with the team and wants to leave on a high note.
“Placing fifth this year at conference was really memorable,” Tarantino said. “We even made a bet with coach last year that if we made it that far, he’d cook us all dinner. I can also remember a lot of times where everyone is up
early at 5:45 a.m. training together, so being together in the early morning is pretty memorable, too. I’m very excited, and I’d really like to enjoy these last few months with my teammates after these four years.”
Tim Schwegler, track and field and cross country head coach, said Taran-tino has improved every year, in large part because of her inner competitive drive and self motivation. Schwegler said based on stats alone, Tarantino is easily one of the top 50 distance runners in the country. He said the team’s goal is to always do the best it can in conference. He also said Tarantino has gotten good points for the team during her other three years, and he is look-ing forward to watching her perform.
Making a strong representation for the Bulldog women in field competition, Smestad is currently tied for 25th in Div. II shot put and is preparing for her meet in Indianapolis this weekend. In 2016, Smestad was GLVC Champion in shot put and placed 15th in the NCAA national tournament. Smestad said for her, the end of indoor season is all about preparation for outdoor season. She said she hopes to make it to the national indoor meet this semester and thinks she has the discipline, drive and determination to make it possible.
“I know that I have set the bar pretty high for my track and field career this past season, and I really want to be so much better than that this year,” Smestad said. “I have been putting in a lot of time in the weight room and practices. I believe that it is really important to have a good outlook and mindset when it comes to tough competition, so I have been focusing on that a lot lately. I like to say that there are no days off — this makes me work harder and make my training count.”
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Left: Senior Laura Tarantino crosses the finish line, earning a victory in Truman’s cross country meet this fall. After her best-ever cross country sea-son, Tarantino now shifts gears to indoor track and field distance running.Right: Sophomore Cassidy Smestad practices her discus form at a practice last spring. Smestad’s main event is the shot put, in which she is currently in the top-25 in Div. II.
Photo by Rachel Steinhoff/ TMN
U P C O M I N GE V E N T S
Baseball2/11
2/11
2/12
Noon vs. Northwest Missouri State University
3 p.m. at University of Nebraska Kearney
Noon vs. Henderson State University
Arkadelphia, Ark.
Arkadelphia, Ark.
Arkadelphia, Ark.
So� ball2/11
2/11
2/12
2/12
3:45 p.m. vs. West Alabama University
8:15 p.m. vs. North Alabama University
11:15 a.m. vs. Mississippi College
1:30 p.m. vs. Delta State
Montevallo, Ala.
Montevallo, Ala.
Montevallo, Ala.
Montevallo, Ala.
Track and Field2/11 TBA at Tom Hathaway Classic
Indianapolis, Ind.
Swimming2/8 - 2/11 at GLVC Championships
Crawfordsville, Ill.
men and women’s
Basketball2/9
2/11
7:30 p.m. vs. Lewis University
5:30 p.m. vs. University of Wisconsin-ParksideRomeoville, Ill.
Kenosha, Wis.
men’s
women’sBasketball
2/9
2/11
5:30 p.m. vs. Lewis University
1 p.m. vs. University of Wisconsin-ParksideRomeoville, Ill
Kenosha, Wis.
Wrestling2/9
2/12
7 p.m. vs. Graceland University
TBA at Maryville University Lombardi DualsKirksville, Mo.
St. Louis, Mo.
Photo by Lindsay St. John/ TMN
