HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College women's indoor track & field team has been picked to finish fifth in the Centennial Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Fords received 49 voting points in the poll of the conference's coaches. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.
Johns Hopkins (81 points) received nine first-place votes to lead the poll, while Dickinson (68 points) finished second with the only other first-place vote. Swarthmore (67 points) was picked third in the conference, while Muhlenberg (49 points) just edged out Haverford's 48 points for the fourth slot in the preseason predictions.
Highlighting the Fords' returnees for the indoor season are sophomore Brittany Steele and junior Nora Weathers. Steele was a named the Centennial Conference Outstanding Rookie after claiming both the 60-meter dash and 200 meter titles in the conference's indoor championship. Weathers was third in the mile and fourth in the 800 a season ago. Steele is currently the school record holder in the 60 meters, while ranking second in the 200.
In the relays, the Fords turned in a top five performance in each of the four events during last year's Centennial Championship. The team's relay success was highlighted by third place finishes in the 4x400 and distance medley relay.
Haverford placed sixth at the Centennial's Indoor Track & Field Championships a season ago with 58 team points. The Fords have finished first or second in the team standings 16 times in the conference's 21 years. That stretch includes the Fords' six championships in seven years from 2004 through their most recent championship in 2010.
Haverford will again serve as host of the conference championship this winter. The Fords open their indoor season next Thursday, December 11 when Widener comes to campus for an afternoon dual meet.