The Nicholls State women’s track team has already entered their indoor track season. Going from outdoor to indoor requires a transition, but head track and field coach Scott Williamson said his runners have done a good job of making the transition.

“So far they’re adjusting well,” Williamson said. “Their first meet we had four girls move into the top five all-time at Nicholls State.”

Despite being early in the season Williamson said the team is still in the rebuilding stage, and he hopes to be a contender within the next few recruiting classes.

“The team is still young so we are still a few years away from being competitive in conference,” Williamson said. “They’re doing well but it’ll take a couple of recruiting classes of quality student athletes who can come in and make a difference in conference.”

Williamson said he will rely on connections he made while coaching in junior college to help with recruiting.

“I have experience over in Texas and in junior colleges,” Williamson said. “I’m relying on a lot of connections I have throughout the area. Hopefully, the recruits I’m talking with will see the program I’m trying to build and will want to be a part of that.”

Preparing for the indoor track season isn’t always easy because the only college with an indoor facility in the state is LSU. Nicholls’ team uses E.D. White’s track for practice, although it is an outdoor track.

“Every local school is in the same boat because only LSU has an indoor facility,” Williamson said. “It would be nice to have our own track, but we’re fortunate to have E.D. White a half mile away so it’s really not that big a concern for me.”

However, Williamson said he prefers the outdoor season because he considers track and field an outdoor sport.

So far this year the team has competed in two meets.

On Jan.14, the Lady Colonels competed in the Purple Tiger Invitational at LSU.

Sophomore distance runner Anastasia “Stacey” Jones led the way finishing 11th in the mile run.

Other finishers were junior distance runner Wongani Phiri (15th in the 3,000 meter run), sophomore distance runner Nicole Triche (14th in the one-mile), sophomore distance runner Jodi Dufrene (16th in the one mile), freshman distance runner Brittany Bernard (17th in the one mile), junior sprinter Latasha Bishop (16th in the 40 meter dash) and sophomore sprinter Dominique Harris (33rd in the 200-meter dash).

Freshmen sprinters Desiree George and Sarah West finished 33rd and 17th in the 200-meter dash and the 40-meter dash. Sophomore runners Sarah Neunzig finished 15th in the one mile and Heather Gamble finished 34th in the 200-meter dash. Junior shot put Jamie Johnson also competed in the event. She finished with a distance of 36-0.5.

The team traveled to Houston for its second meet on Feb. 3 held at the University of Houston. Harris and Jones paved the way for the Colonels at the event.

Harris competed in the 60-meter dash and the long jump and moved up on the all-time records list with a time of 8.42 seconds in 60-meter and leaping 16-02.5 feet.

After the event, Harris finished third all-time in both events at Nicholls. Jones moved into fifth all-time at Nicholls with a time of 20:17.01 in the 500-meter run.

Bishop finished 68th in the 200-meter dash while George finished 76th. Phiri finished 52nd in the 800-meter run while Triche finished 56th.

Williamson said his goals for the team go beyond this season for both indoor and outdoor season.

“I would like to see us as an annual team that’s fighting for a top three every time,” Williamson said.