North Texas Daily

Quentin Hope / Staff Writer

The UNT track and field team had another successful meet over the weekend in Lubbock at the Red Raider Open.

Several Mean Green athletes are contributing all around to keep the team competing at a high level.

“I try to take it week by week,” freshman thrower Brandon Fricke said. “Coach has prepared me well… I’m coming from high school throwing farther with a heavier weight; I’d say he’s prepared me well.”

Fricke threw a personal best, 51 feet 8 inches, in the shotput and now leads the Sun Belt Conference as the best freshman in that event. Although being a freshman doesn’t rattle him, he knows that there is much work to be done and is striving for a chance to compete at nationals.

Like Fricke, junior Terrance Williams is the top long jumper in the SBC. He said he is happy with his results from the weekend.

“I think I did well,” Williams said. “I still need to work on the triple jump, but I feel long jump has come together.”

Williams’ versatility allows him to compete in both long jump and triple jump but he performed particularly well in the long jump, with a jump of 23 feet 8 inches over the weekend. He also had a triple jump of 45 feet 9 inches.

“It’s a blessing to be back here and able to jump,” Williams said. “I was scratching at the beginning of the season but now it’s all coming together, but still a work in progress.”

A major factor over the weekend was the Texas Tech indoor track facility, which is built in a perfect circle. Sophomore Chasity Stewart said she used the track to her advantage.

“It’s different but I liked it a lot better,” Stewart said. “The really tight turns made my 200 a little bit easier than other indoor 200s.”

Stewart stands in the top five in her individual events as well. She ran a 24.8 in the 200-meter dash in Lubbock and said she owes her success to her coaching and training.

“I’ve been improving every week,” Stewart said. “And staying faithful and committed to the workout makes the result good.”

The team will need a quick and speedy recovery, as it will travel to Ames, Iowa on Thursday for the Iowa State Open.