Delaware and athletes prepare for the NCAA D-3 National Track and Field Championships, which will be held at Selby Field from May 22 to May 24. City Manager Tom Homan said this is the second time the Championships have come to Delaware in the past few years.
Head Track and Field Coach Kris Boey said he has been preparing the team by continuing their training program and making adjustments to athletes’ needs.
Sophomore Sara Johnson said she and her team are very excited for the Championships.
“For Nationals, this is a huge event for us,” Johnson said. “Not only is it at home but we are all ready to run with the best and we each know we can.”
Junior Matt Hunter agreed with Johnson.
“This is a huge event for OWU,” Hunter said. “It is obviously significant as a track meet, and it is also a large event for the university and for Delaware.”
Both athletes said that they are personally working on their events. Johnson said she is preparing herself mentally for the Championships. While Hunter said he is focusing on his technique.
As a team, Hunter said that they are working on keeping focused and achieving goals.
“I am most excited for ‘home field advantage’,” Hunter said. “We have the advantage of having done all our preparation on the same track, on the same runways, in the same circles, that we will be competing in.”
Boey said that getting the field ready for the Championships has been on-going.
“Our staff, along with the B&G staff, has been working very hard to make sure we shine when the competition begins,” Boey said. “Preparation for an event of this scale is a long and tedious process. It is the largest of the NCAA championships event in terms of total participants.”
Additionally, Boey said that there will be around 800 athletes from 200 schools and about 15,000 fans are expected to show for the three day event.
Homan said that Delaware is very excited to host the Championships again. He said that the city will “roll out the red carpet” for the athletes and families that come. He said he wants everyone visiting to feel at home in the community.
Homan said that he hopes those who have never seen the city or campus will appreciate its beauty and embrace the local businesses. The only problems that Homan said the city might face are traffic and parking issues, but he said the city is prepared.
Homan said he hopes the Championships will come back again in the future.