The track and field teams, in their fourth year, have more than 80 men and women on the rosters, giving more student-athletes a chance to do what they love. To perform at their best, they need the equipment and the ability to travel to high-caliber meets where they can compete and qualify for the NCAA national meet.
The Need
Getting to the next level in track and field requires qualifying individuals for the national meet. The Ichabod track and field team has benefited tremendously in previous seasons by sending the team to meets to chase ideal weather and high competition levels during the early spring weeks. Weather in the Midwest can be unpredictable and not optimal for performance during the early spring. Last season, 10 of the top performances of the season came from our meets in Texas and California, and an astonishing 18 of the season’s top marks came during the MIAA or NCAA Championship meets at the end of the season! That means 28 out of 37 top marks were achieved in ideal weather with high level competition. The team sent a record 12 competitors to an NCAA Championship meet where the women’s program ultimately finished 28th in the nation in just their third year as a team. As the season draws to a close, qualifying chances get slimmer, and the coaching staff must be able to send as many student-athletes to meets to qualify for the NCAA meet. Ichabods must also have the right gear and equipment to meet the demands of the many events and environments in which they compete, practice and workout.
As Coach Cameron Babb and his staff continue building the program, the roster will increase. There is a higher demand to send more athletes to quality track meets around the country to continue qualifying the athletes who are capable of representing the Ichabods at the national championship level. With that, Washburn will grow more competitive in a wider range of events. Funds raised through this project will give the coaching staff the ability to send more Ichabods to the right events and keep them in the right gear throughout the season.
Impact on Students
As the program grows, individual honors can add up to team success, and Washburn can meet its team goals of winning the MIAA championship and finishing near the top at the NCAA meet. The Ichabods know competing at their best will bring success and pride to their team, Washburn students, faculty, staff, alumni and fans.
Your gift to this fund can help give Washburn track and field the running start it needs.
The Budget
While the Athletic Department budget covers travel to meets already on the schedule, gifts to this fund will help send more student-athletes to meets with ideal weather in the early spring and last-chance qualifiers at the end of the regular season. You can also help send student-athletes to high-caliber events around the country where they can compete against the best in the nation and have the right experience when they get to the NCAA national meet. More meets also means a higher demand for the right equipment, and these costs will only go up as the program grows in size and success.
