There’s no better way to celebrate the beginning of Women’s History Month than with a Patriot League championship for the Boston University women’s indoor track team. After two long days of competition for the Terriers, that’s exactly what they accomplished on March 1.
With a total of 188 points to close out the weekend, the Terriers outscored the second-place Army Black Knights by 33 points.
Many of these points came from this year’s senior class, especially Jada Smith. Smith had a show-stopping weekend: She and three teammates took home the 4×400-meter relay silver medal.
On the individual level, she tied both BU and meet records in the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.73 seconds and finished the 60-meter dash in 7.51 seconds, claiming gold in both events.
Smith was also named Track Athlete of the Meet for the first time in her career.
“It really showed me that I really am a true athlete,” Smith said.
While Smith had a standout performance, BU’s victory didn’t come from her alone.
The team has experienced huge amounts of adversity, but has surpassed these obstacles with flying colors. This year’s senior class has come through in times of transition, from coaching changes to injuries.
“The women did a really good job responding to [others needing support],” said BU Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Grant Cartwright. “[It’s] driven by our team captains and seniors and our team leadership group as well.”
Cartwright stepped into his position with the Terriers two years ago, and won a Patriot League championship at the end of his first indoor track season. He has now secured back-to-back championships for his team after a title drought that began long before his tenure as director, in 2016.
Spurred by the seniors, Cartwright and the team have changed the environment and energy surrounding the team, propelling BU indoor track to new heights.
“The whole dynamic has just changed. I’ve had team bondings now,” Smith said. “Everyone’s cheering for every event group. The atmosphere, the energy is lively. It’s completely different.”
For seniors like Smith, overcoming injuries is what makes this Patriot League championship extra special.
“This year is my first year … being fully healthy and competing without a problem,” Smith said.
Smith isn’t the only member of the senior class who has learned to face adversity. So has Ellie Roan, who threw for 51-6¼ in the shot put to snag the meet’s silver medal while also setting the second-best mark in program history in that event.
As a senior, Roan has helped to create a positive environment for the freshmen, helping set them up for future success.
“Compared to my freshman year, all the classes are much more connected,” Roan said.
The program looks different now than it did at the beginning of Smith’s and Roan’s college careers, notably in the team’s goals and motivations.
“My freshman year … our goal wasn’t even to win [the] Patriot League,” Roan said. “Our goal was to come in third.”
Roan’s mentality has changed — not only in what she wants for herself, but for the team as a whole. “I have to focus on having fun and kind of relearning to love the process in the sport,” she said.
For the seniors, March 1 was the end of the indoor season. The Terriers will now take the next few weeks to train and prepare for the outdoor season, which starts on March 26 in Raleigh, N.C.
The athletes will be putting forward their best effort not only to finish the season in full strength, but to create an environment around the team that will sustain itself in the future.
“Once [the underclassmen] come back the next year, they have a lot of that knowledge that the seniors had,” Cartwright said. “Then, they get to build on it with their own experiences as well.”