The men’s and women’s track teams will be starting out their 2019 spring season this Saturday at the Doane Invitational in Crete, Nebraska.

Junior Tia Jones is returning off a very strong 2018 indoor and outdoor season.

For the 2018 indoor season, Jones earned All-NSIC Honors and was also named to the NSIC Winter All-Academic Team.

Jones was a national qualifier in her 2018 outdoor season in shot put after recording the NCAA provisional mark of 47’ 3½” to take first place at the Mount Marty Twilight meet in April.

Jones placed ninth in the shot put at the NSIC Championships and placed 17th at the NCAA Division II National Championships. Jones was selected to the NSIC Spring All-Academic Team.

Jones said she is looking forward to seeing her and her teammates hit personal records and hopefully hit some marks that will move the Wildcats up in conference and national rankings. She is also looking forward to competing this weekend in Crete.

“I’m excited to compete at a familiar place and have my family and friends there supporting me because it’s not far from home,” Jones said.

Jones is constantly trying to push both herself and her teammates to be greater everyday with words of encouragement and constantly bringing good energy around the team. She has set personal goals for herself and her teammates.

“I would really like to attend both indoor and outdoor nationals and become an All-American this year,” Jones said. “I also really want my team to push themselves every day so we are able to compete at every single meet. I hope when Wayne State track and field walks in the facility, everyone knows we mean business and we’re ready to compete.”

Freshman Molli Vasa is looking forward to becoming a better athlete and improving on all her times from high school.

“I’m looking forward to all of the different kinds of meets we go to and seeing all different kinds of athletes like ones from NAIA to DI,” Vasa said. “I’m also looking forward to becoming closer to the team.”

Vasa would like to break all of her times from her high school career while becoming stronger and faster.

“I want to become an all-around better athlete and person through this track season,” said Vasa.

Vasa is also looking at helping the women’s team complete some of the team goals.

“I think one of our team goals is to qualify a few athletes for the national championships for indoor and outdoor,” Vasa said. “I think we want to work toward placing a few of us at that meet and the conference meet as well.”

The Wildcat track and field teams will be competing this Saturday, January 12 at Doane University, and then will compete again next week at the South Dakota State Invite on Friday January 18.