In its second trip to the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in three weeks, the Washington University men’s and women’s track and field teams swapped results in the women’s first- and men’s second-place finishes.

“I think that we are starting off a lot stronger than we have in seasons past. I don’t think that anyone has peaked yet. I think that we will just continue to get stronger as the season goes, so I’m excited and really looking forward to what the season has in store for us,” senior Danielle Wadlington said.

“There’s a good dynamic. They enjoy being around each other,” Head Coach Jeff Stiles said on the team’s fast start.

Two women recorded NCAA Division III Championship provisional times at the Rose-Hulman Engineer Indoor Invitational. Wadlington continued her strong start to the season with her provisional time in a 55-meter hurdles win. Wadlington also won the triple jump, 200-meter dash and teamed with seniors Erika Wade, Alli Alberts and Krystyn Stowe to win the 4×400-meter relay.

“I’m just having fun. It’s my last season. To me, that’s what’s the most important. It’s not doing well. Doing well is great, but it’s just having a lot of fun,” Wadlington said on her strong start.

Freshman Katie Hered won the pole vault with an NCAA provisional height of 3.45 meters. In other women’s events, Alberts won the high jump, freshman Imari Mason won the 55-meter dash, senior Trudi Pugatch, Stowe, junior Caitlin Hartsell and freshman Elisabeth Stocking took the 4×200-meter relay and freshman Liz Phillips and junior Molly Schlamb took first and second respectively in the 1-mile run.

The women crushed the competition, defeating runner up Monmouth College by 66.5 points.

For the men, sophomore Ben Harmon won the long jump, freshmen Ben Harmon and Tyler Jackson took first and second in the 55-meter hurdles, sophomore Dave Spandorfer won the 1-mile run and sophomore Skyler Moots won the 800-meter run. Monmouth won the meet by 62 points.

“I think the men’s team is doing really, really great. I think in terms of conference, we are a much stronger team than we were last year,” Wadlington said.

The team’s fast start is due not only to the athletes on the team but also to an expanded coaching staff.

“We probably have the best coaching staff we’ve ever had in terms of assistants. We have like 10 people helping out this year. We’re meeting the needs with volunteer coaches with high-level interactions,” Stiles said.

The season continues next Friday at the Illinois Wesleyan Bob Keck Invitational, where the Lady Bears will look to defeat the defending NCAA Division III Indoor National Champions.

The team only has three meets before the UAA Championships and then the NCAA Indoor Championships.

“It’s like having nationals right before nationals,” Wadlington said, adding that the competition at Illinois Wesleyan and then on Feb. 21 at Wartburg will be the toughest of the season.

In the Feb. 2 edition of Student Life, the track and field athlete pictured was identified as Aubrey Edwards when it was actually Liat Rome. Student Life regrets this error.