Rowan women’s outdoor track and field team competed at the Washington & Lee Carnival on March 17 and 18 for their first meet of the spring season.
While there was no team scoring at the event, Rowan had plenty of great performances, but the standout performance was Nicole Notarianni in the 100-meter hurdles as she finished in first place.
Even after finishing first place, Head Coach Derick “Ringo” Adamson did not think this was Notarianni’s best performance, but he was still happy with it.
“Is she where she was before the pandemic? No, she is not,” Ringo said. “But I still thought she had a great time. Considering the conditions we were in I thought it made her performance that much better. She was running into the wind. I always tell them you cannot control the elements out there, but I tell them to control what they can control.”
Even though Ringo does not think she is in her best hurdling shape yet, he has no doubt that she will be able to get back to where she was before the pandemic.
“Without a doubt, she will get back to where she was before the pandemic,” Ringo said. “Even though she is not in hurdling shape at the moment, she may be in the best shape of her life. Her issue right now is mechanical. For her right now it is like riding a bike. After you have not rode a bike in a while there is a little bit of rust which can make it difficult for you to ride especially if you are racing. So the more she practices the better she will be.”
Ringo’s faith in Notarianni has been apparent at the start of this season, especially with his decision to make her a captain.
“She has been here longer than most people,” Ringo said. “She knows better than most people what we do here. The reason I picked her is that I know she will be able to deliver the message I want to be delivered.”
While Ringo has high expectations for his team going forward, he doesn’t want them to look too far ahead.
“I have not really conveyed my season expectations yet,” Ringo said. “I want them to take it one day at a time. Of course, I would like them to win the conference but for now, I want them to take it one day at a time.”
The team will look to continue its streak at the Monmouth Spring Opener in West Long, New Jersey. The team will be there March 24 and March 25.
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