As the weather gets colder and cross country has concluded, it is once again time to start this year’s indoor track campaign. The UConn men’s and women’s programs are each coming off successful seasons. Both teams won the Big East Championship last year, making that five straight conference championships for the men and four for the women.
The men’s team is coming off a season where the coaching staff was unanimously voted as the best in the Big East. They also return multiple important assets to last year’s championship squad. Senior Kasey Savage was the 2023 Big East high jump champion (2.05 meters), and was voted as the 2023 Big East Men’s Most Outstanding Performer in Field Events. Senior Terrel Williams and graduate student Travis Snyder are both coming off of record-breaking seasons too. Not only have they both won their event at the indoor Big East championships two years in a row, but also hold school records in 60-meter hurdles (Williams, 7.71 seconds) and in pole vault (Snyder, 5.47m).
On the women’s side, it’s much of the same. They’re also coming off a season where the coaching staff was voted Big East coaching staff of the year. They return a lot of talent, especially with junior A’liyah Thomas. Thomas set a school record last spring in the long jump (6.59m), becoming the conference champion in that event. Additionally, Thomas was the 2023 Big East Women’s Most Outstanding Performer in Field Events. Also returning for the Huskies are juniors Jailya Ash and Kalli Knott, as well as graduate student Patricia Mroczkowski. Ash took home the Big East 60-meter hurdles championship (8.35 seconds), while Knott was the Big East pole vaulting champion (3.85m). Mroczkowski is the back-to-back indoor Big East champion for high jump (1.81m) and has her eyes set on making it three in a row this season. Senior Jenna Zydanowicz and Junior Chloe Thomas will lead the distance medley relay. They, along with Emily Lavarnway and Elise O’Leary, set the school record last year (11:19.21). With Lavarnway and O’Leary no longer on the team, it’ll be interesting to see how the group performs with their new runners. Thomas also notably competed in the recent cross country national championship just a few weekends ago. The Huskies return this Friday, as they kick off their indoor season traveling to Boston University to participate in the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener. There are high hopes this year as Connecticut looks to pick up where they left off and keep their streak going.