WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD: Grow leads Irish to Big East title
By DAVE COOK
Sports Writer
Track and field is an individual sport. From start to finish, the individual is in total control of the outcome of the race.
But for senior sprinter Liz Grow, teamwork is most important.
It is what won the Big East Conference meet for the Irish this past weekend.
"This is my team, I've done it for four years, I love it. I love it so much to see how far we've come, and to watch these girls give it there all for this team. It's unbelievable," said Grow.
Freshman hurdler Tiffany Gunn feels the impact that Grow has on this team this year.
"She's awesome. She's one of those captains where if you're down, she'll pat you on your back. But if you're not giving your 100 percent she'll chew you out. She's one of those people that if you're not performing your best, she's not going to be happy. She makes sure that I'm giving it my all, she leads by example," said Gunn.
Grow's success on the track at the Big East Conference championship was equally important as her impact on the team.
Grow was in three events totaling five races on the weekend en route to setting a school record in the 500-meter and scoring 15 points for the Irish.
"[Grow] is probably the best pick for captain that [sprints] coach [John] Millar has," said Gunn.
Grow took second in the 500 and eighth in the 200, and was on the mile relay team that took third place.
"I wish I would have won the 500. I really wanted those two points. I scored eight points where I would have scored 10 if I won," said Grow.
Gunn was probably the biggest surprise of the meet. A freshman 60-meter hurdler who was ranked eighth going into the meet, Gunn snuck into the finals and took a fourth place finish for the Irish.
"I've kept improving each weekend. It helps practicing alongside Tameisha King, who I finished right behind. When I have someone like her pushing me at practice, it helps you carry that strategy to the meet," said Gunn.
"She had the race of her life. When I looked up at the scoreboard and saw that she got fourth, I went crazy. That was huge. That was how we won the meet," said Grow.
Head coach Joe Piane recognized how important Gunn's race was over the weekend, also.
"One surprise was Tiffany Gunn. What a help that was. Nobody anticipated that. She ended up getting five points where we were hoping for one," said Piane.
The Irish were able to clinch the Big East title without any individual victories, showing the depth of the women's squad this year.
"I don't think I've ever heard of anyone winning a meet of that caliber and not winning a single event. We scored in 15 events, and that shows a lot of depth," said Piane.
The winner of the meet came down to the mile relay, the last race of the day.
Notre Dame had 106 points and Georgetown had 102 points going into the race.
Fortunately for the Irish, Georgetown got second and Notre Dame got third, which gave the Irish the two-point lead over the Hoyas.
"If we ended up third, we couldn't lose. We were rooting for our ladies to be at least third, and Seton Hall to win, which is exactly what happened," said Piane.
"We were very confident going into the race. We thought we had to beat Georgetown to win, so it came as a surprise that we had won," said Grow who anchored the relay team.
Jamie Volkmer also had a strong day, provisionally qualifying for nationals in the pole vault. Her vault of 12 feet, 5 inches took second place, and she also took sixth place in the triple jump.
This victory marked Notre Dame's first victory in the indoor conference meet, and the coaches were named Coaches of the Year for indoor track and field.
"They were great. It was wonderful," said Piane.
All Sports Stories for Tuesday, February 19, 2002
