By Matt Day

When the snow melts, something exciting will happen for Macalester track and field: they will have a home. The team will begin practicing at Macalester Stadium as soon as the weather allows. “Hopefully next week,” Head Coach Martin Peper said. “I can’t wait till we get outside.”

For almost a month of the indoor track and field season, Macalester has been practicing at various facilities throughout the Twin Cities. The Macalester field house closed for demolition in January.

“It’s been hard to get into a routine,” Alex Rosselli ’10 said of the constant change in practice venues.

Despite almost a month of climbing into vans to get to and from practice, Macalester has had a solid indoor season.

“This season’s been better than previous years,” Susan Brown ’07 said. “I feel like we’re physically stronger.”

Brown is one of several standouts returning from last year.

Her sixth place triple jump at last year’s outdoor national championship meet earned her All-American status, and she is enjoying continued success this year. She was named Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic (MIAC) conference female athlete for the week Feb. 14 for a pair of first place jumps at the Eastbay/Pointer Invitational.

Kaela Schramm ’07 won the honor Feb 20, winning her third player of the week honor of the young season.

“Kaela and Susan are going to do really well at indoor nationals,” Erin Lowrey ’10 said. “We have some individuals who will go really far.”

Returnees on the men’s side include Alex Wise ’07, who had a pair of first place marks in the pole vault during the indoor season.

Evan Mitchell ’08, who won the MIAC javelin title last year, placed first in the shot put at Bethel.

Peper emphasizes the team in a sport usually characterized by individual accomplishment. “Track and field is basically about 15 different sports,” he said. “The trick is to find ways to come together.”

An unexpected element that unified the team has been the burden of practicing in smaller groups and at unusual hours due to the lack of a home track. “It’s made us closer,” Brown said.

Practices have started as early as 7 a.m. and ended as late as 11 p.m.

“This is truly a team. They’ve done a fine job of working together,” Peper said.

“We have really good team chemistry. It’s a pretty easy atmosphere to have fun,” Rosselli said.

The team competes today at the Carleton Pre-MIAC Meet. The Scots will return to Northfield for the MIAC indoor championships Mar. 1-3, with the outdoor season’s first meet scheduled for Mar. 31.