The Texas women's track and field team had a strong finish to the indoor season with a fourth-place finish in the NCAA Indoor Championships.
To some, their finish was a surprise. To the Longhorns, it wasn't.
"When you go into a national competition ranked 16th and place fourth, you feel like you've won," Texas coach Bev Kearney said. "No one considered us a major factor, but in our minds, we were."
Now the team begins its transition the outdoor season, beginning at home this weekend at the Texas Invitational on Saturday.
Sprinter Alexandria Anderson acquired three All-American honors with a second place finish in the 60-meter dash, third place 200-meter completion and fourth place as part of the 4-by-400-meter relay team. She was joined by junior Katara Rosby, senior Temeka Kincy and freshman Bianca Knight, who led the Longhorns in the NCAAs by taking home a national championship in the 200-meter.
Kearney saw this performance as a sign of the team's ability to step up under adversity. She said the team is focusing on the here and now but that a strong national finish gives them confidence going into the outdoor season.
The Texas Invitational will be the team's first home-track venue of the season, but Kearney is not focusing on this aspect of the meet.
"There is no such thing as a home field advantage," she said.
This meet won't be scored and is mostly a chance for the team to see where they stand in various events, according to Kearney. Only the athletes who did not qualify for the indoor championships will be competing this weekend.
The team will be without star freshman sprinter Knight, as she announced Wednesday her intention to opt out of her remaining college career to pursue professional athletics.
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