WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College women's outdoor track & field team begins its 2021 campaign this weekend at Bethany.
 
2019-20 Season Review: The W&J women's track and field team completed its 2019-20 indoor season but the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the Presidents from completing any outdoor meets last spring.
 
The W&J women's track & field squad took fifth at the 2019-20 PAC Indoor Championships.
 
Krista Sudar and Samantha Tipton placed second (11.55 meters) and third (11.38 meters) in the shot put, respectively. Sudar was also second in the weight throw (13.38 meters).
 
W&J finished second in the 4x400 relay with a school record time of 4:11.94.
 
Our women's team was VERY good last year," said third year head coach Derek Workman. "We were going to be even better outdoors. I am still bummed that we didn't get to have a season last spring, because it would've been one of our best in program history."
 
Team Captains: Naomi Hanna, Taylor Johnson, Ashley Kovel and Faith Remich
 
Key Returners: The Presidents return contributors at the sprints, distance, jumps and throws in 2021.
 
"We have a lot of quality returners from last year's team," said Workman. "We can't wait to see them get after it this spring."
 
Junior Faith Remich (New Kensington, Pa./Burrell) was third in the mile (5:25.10) and ninth in the 800 (2:30.42) at the 2019-20 PAC Indoor Championships.
 
Remich was a 2019 All-PAC Second Team cross country runner and finished eighth in the 800 at the 2019 PAC Outdoor Championships (2:29.34).
 
"Faith has been the unquestioned leader among our distance team for a while now," said Workman. "She is the definition of our motto, 'Team Over Me – TOM.' Excited to see her back in her natural element, on the track again, this spring!"
 
Sophomore Bre Trusler (Daisytown, Pa./California) took third in the 400 (1:00.61) and was sixth in the 200 (27.60) at the 2019-20 PAC Indoor Championships.
 
Trusler is W&J's top returner in 200, 400 and 500 sprints and had the team's best overall times last year in the 400 (1:00.61) and 500 (1:27.94).
 
"Bre is such a hard-working kid," said Workman. "She does everything you ask her to do and never questions it. There's a reason she is one of the best runners on this team and in this conference."
 
Junior thrower Naomi Hanna (New Kensington, Pa./Burrell) is W&J's top returning thrower for 2021. She placed 10th in the Shot Put the 2019-20 PAC Indoor Championships with a heave of 10.78 meters.
 
In the 2019 PAC Outdoor Championships, Hanna placed seventh in shot put (10.22 meters) and eighth in discus (30.11 meters).
 
"Naomi has stepped up big time into her new role as captain on our women's team," said Workman. "She is very excited to compete again, and I fully expect her to continue to be one of the better throwers in our conference."
 
2021 PAC Women's Basketball Player of the Year Alie Seto (Allison, Pa./Brownsville) tied for third with a career best high jump of 1.50 meters at the 2019-20 PAC Indoor Championships.
 
Seto took fourth in the high jump (1.45 meters) and ninth in the triple jump (9.59 meters) at the 2019 PAC Outdoor Championships.
 
"Player of the Year, finally! She deserved that," said Workman. "Great kid, works hard, and never makes excuses. I am very excited to see her go out with a bang in her final collegiate track season."
 
Junior Ashley Kovel placed third in the triple jump (10.01 meters) and seventh in the high jump (1.45 meters) at the 2019 PAC Indoor Championships.
 
"Like all of the previous names I've mentioned, Ashley is a great kid," said Workman. "She is a captain for not only our track & field team, but also on the volleyball team. Hard working, never makes excuses, good attitude, etc. Excited to watch her compete this spring!"
 
Junior Maddie Simpson was fourth in the javelin at the 2019 PAC Outdoor Championships with a throw of 33.71 meters.
 
"Maddie is also a dual sport athlete on our volleyball team," said Workman. "I hate that we lost our outdoor season last spring for a lot of reasons. Two of those main reasons were our seniors and our javelin throwers. We had a lot of them last year, and Maddie is one of the best around. Excited to see her get back at it here in a couple days."
 
Freshman distance runner Cassie Carr (Girard, Pa./Girard) had a standout start to her cross country career in 2021. She was a two-time PAC Rookie of the Week with a pair of second overall finishes in two regular season meets.
 
"Cassie made her presence known immediately," said Workman. "In her first two collegiate races, she had two individual runner-up finishes during the cross country season. Keep an eye out for her this spring."
 
Newcomers: The W&J women's track and field team adds eight freshmen to its number in 2021.
 
"This is a very talented group of newcomers," said Workman. "We brought in a very strong class for both the men and women.  It should be fun to watch them progress throughout the spring."
 
Cassie Carr (Girard, Pa./Girard) - Distance
Jadyn Hartner (Washington, Pa./Fort Cherry) - Hurdles/Jumps
Hannah Haussmann (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport) - Distance
Grace Kirwin (Philadelphia, Pa./Abington) - Distance
Harley Pflugh (Butler, Pa./Slippery Rock Area) - Distance
Gianna Platt (Pittsburgh, Pa./OLSH) - Jumps
London Roberson (Waldorf, Md./Thomas Stone) - Throws
Savannah Sevacko (Crafton, Pa./Carlynton ) - Jumps
 
Looking at the schedule: The Presidents' 2021 outdoor track and field schedule features five regular season meets and the 2021 PAC Outdoor Championships.
 
The Presidents will travel to fellow PAC institutions Bethany (March 27), Geneva (April 3), Westminster (April 10), Grove City (April 17) and Bethany (April 21).

The PAC Outdoor Championships will be held at The Track & Field Complex at Mylan Park in Morgantown, W.Va. on April 29-30. The Track & Field Complex at Mylan Park is the home of the West Virginia University (WVU) track and field and cross country teams.
 
The NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships are scheduled for May 27-May 29 in Greensboro, N.C.
 
"I have never been to WVU's new Track & Field Complex," said Workman. "Based on the pictures I've seen from some of their meets, it is a top notch facility. At that point in the year (PAC Championship), at that venue, I expect there to be a lot of new season bests and personal records."
 
Last Word: "Appreciate the opportunity to be able to compete again!" said Workman. "There were definitely times where it seemed like this day would never come. Have fun and let's just enjoy being/competing at track & field meets again."