There have been some monumental moments early in the Loyola Track and Field season with Lauryn Clarke ’26 breaking the school record in the 60 meter dash at the Nittany Lion Challenge earlier this year at 7.52 seconds. In that same meet, after she broke the 60 meter school record, she came back and ran the 200 meter and ran a personal best at 24.80 seconds. 

In the most recent meet at Boston College, Clarke beat that personal best in the 200 meter for a time of 24.75 seconds. 

Clarke mentioned that breaking the record was more of a shock and that her season is going in the right direction, given that she came off an injury her freshman year.

“I think these past two years have been me…getting back to where I think I could be. As a team there’s been a lot of progress from 2022 to now to the point where there’s been a lot more cohesion, a lot more comradery, and it’s a great experience to be around this year,” Clarke said. 

Besides Clarke’s accomplishments, this year Claire Dalsass ‘27 ran the No.10 time in school history in the 600 meter finishing 10th overall at the Nittany Lion Challenge. At George Mason’s Patriot Games, Kasey Boag ‘25 finished fifth in the 3000 meter. Distance runners Maeve Lowther ‘25, Dalsass, Kat Zysk ‘27, and Kiera Udell ‘27 finished second in their medley relay at the Boston College Showdown. Nelly Cruz ‘27 finished ninth in the 60m hurdles at the same meet. Cruz gives a lot of credit to the team culture. 

“We have progressed a lot and I feel like we have become a lot closer, and because of that I feel like that has very much improved our team as well as when it comes to a competition standpoint,” Cruz said. 

The healthy dynamic between athletes and coaches seems to be the piece to the puzzle. With the program only starting in 2004, there is a lot of room for legacy both for the athletes and the coaching staff. Head Coach Amy Horst, of both the track and the cross-country team, started coaching track at Loyola in the 2010-2011 season. Prior to Loyola, Horst served as an assistant coach for the cross country and track and field program at Marquette University.

She knows she has influence on her team, and she knows that she needs to use it correctly.

“This is where I do have an impact, this is where we can do something, this is where we can teach young adults to do hard things, to handle the things they can control, to take away the things they can’t, to have influence in the spaces that they can, and to keep going and doing it and having hope,” Horst said. 

Horst emphasized that the team has been successful because they know that reaching these goals has been a possibility. Yes, Clarke’s performances have been exceptional, but her breaking records is not the expectation of herself, coaches or teammates. When talking about Clarke’s record, Horst mentioned that if Clarke had the expectation to break the record it would’ve felt like more of a relief than an accomplishment. 

“The big piece of the win is being in the spot that we need to be and knowing that it’s possible. Giving the chance of possibility, though not the expectation, that is key… and then, when you get there, there’s actual true joy,” Horst said. 

Despite these milestones, the season still continues with some intense meets coming up. After repeatedly beating her personal best and breaking school records, Clarke is trying to stay focused for the rest of the season. 

“The mindset now is just clean up. Kind of focus on the things you need to do and don’t worry too much,” Clarke said.

For Cruz, now in her second year at Loyola, a healthy team environment is especially important when championships are at stake.

“We are also a very silly team, we don’t take a lot of things entirely serious, and I feel like that atmosphere is actually very important as well because it is a comforting experience just to be around our teammates regardless of if we did well or if we didn’t do well, we are always proud of each other and we take care of each other,” Cruz said. 

With the Patriot League Championships approaching in early March, quickly followed by the ECAC Championships, the team remains proud of their achievements while staying determined to push beyond what they’ve already accomplished.