Don't ever count out Jericka Duncan.
The senior hurdler, who finished 13th in the 400 hurdles at last year's NCAA Mideast Regional meet, has always been driven by those who have doubted her.
It's nice to have someone even slightly doubt me
she said, because that's what pushes me. That's what's pushed me my whole career. The two-time Regional qualifier would like to use some of that doubt to reach the NCAA Championship meet, though it's not at the top of a list that includes returning to the Regional meet and graduating.
I've always been an underdog and people have always had that sense of doubt -'Oh I don't know if she can quite pull it out ' Duncan said. I'm almost afraid to even think about (nationals) now because I need to take baby steps and first qualify for Regionals. But it would be nice to go to nationals
no doubt. Every Bobcat could use the baby steps philosophy, too: The Ohio men's and women's outdoor teams finished last of nine teams and 11th of 13, respectively, at last year's Mid-American Conference Championships; at the indoor MAC Championships last weekend, the men finished fifth of six while the women were 12th of 13.
I think indoors was a meet where we looked up and said
'OK
we still have some work to do
' assistant coach Christi Smith said. It wasn't frustrating ... I just want them to go out and have great performances. Those great performances can begin three weeks from today at the Cape Fear Classic in Wilmington, N.C. Ohio will return to Goldsberry Track for the Ohio Invitational on April 1 and 2.
It's a relief
Smith said of beginning the outdoor season. You spend all summer training
then get here for fall conditioning and you go back indoors. It's a dark place and you just can't wait to come out.
