Courtesy of SWC Athletics
By Emiliano Gonzalez Ruiz
Southwestern’s women track athletes are good at chemistry.
Maybe not polar covalent bonding chemistry, but they have bonded.
Coach Toni Smith’s tightknit team of high-speed highflyers ran away with 12 personal bests at the Arnie Robinson Invitational Track and Field Meet at San Diego Mesa College. Smith said to expect more spectacles in spikes.
“Last season, this result would have been impossible to achieve,” she said. “We went from four (women) last year to 14 this year.”
The growth of the team was on full display. Freshman Korina Luna led the way, running a 1:01.43 in the 400 meters, a personal best that placed her sixth and improved her previous mark of 1:03.10. She also broke through in the 200 meters, crossing the line at 26.83, improving her previous best of 27.19.
“Korina is a standout,” said Smith. “She has improved a lot in a short time.”
Freshman Ashleigh Perriatt cut her time in the 100 meters, finishing at 14.73 for her new personal best. Isabella Molina set a new PR in the 5,000 meters at 21:21.63.
Freshman Isabella Santana, running her first ever 10,000-meters, pulled off a shocker finishing third after returning from a hip injury.
“I’m not too worried about the distance,” she said. “I just wanted to run it to see what time I’d get.”
Santana’s injury in the steeple chase slowed her but did not stop her.
“It kind of sent me back just a little bit,” she said. “I am just trying to recover and get back into my normal running mileage.”
Donna Lopez-Landers led the way in the field events, recording personal bests in the shot put, discus and javelin. She threw 9.64 meters in the shot put and 25.22 meters in the discus. Teammate Ariana Enriquez also hit personal bests in the shot put and javelin. Sophia Norgen set a new personal best in the discus.
Athletes attribute much of their success to spirited sophomore captain Camila Mendoza. She capped her stellar freshman season with a 10th in the state championships in the high jump and 11th in the long jump
“Camila is terrific,” said Smith. “She helps with the younger athletes. (She helped) them to (understand) what to expect from me.”
Mendoza was injured and had to sit out the Robinson meet but was a presence on the sidelines cheering on her teammates.
“I’m so proud of them,” she said. “They’re improving each meet, PRing. I’m just so happy for them.”
Mendoza said the team has great chemistry.
“There’s more of a girlhood now,” Mendoza said. “We do each other’s makeup. We do each other’s hair. It’s so fun.”
Santana agreed.
“I’ve never bonded better with a team before,” Santana said. “I feel a lot closer with my teammates.”
Smith said success is a sign of ongoing growth in the program.
“We’re starting to build a big momentum,” she said. “If they can place well here, that’s a good indication that we’re moving in the right direction.”
Leadership and scholarship are important to Smith, she said. A four-time All-American triple jumper for the University of Oklahoma, Smith said sports should build character and confidence in college athletes, particularly women.
“This is a male dominant field,” she said. “I like my athletes to represent who I am. That way I’m not here loud and obnoxious. My athletes speak for me through their actions and their performances. I’m just so proud.”
