YSU duo heads to nationals
Penguins hurdler Laubacher, jumper Solarin set to face country’s best
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It may be early June, but a platoon of Penguins are still raking in the frequent flier miles.
For the eighth consecutive season, Youngstown State will be represented at the biggest stage in collegiate track at the NCAA Division I Nationals this week in Eugene, Oregon.
Junior sprinter Luke Laubacher will compete in the 110m hurdles national semifinals at 8:32 p.m. on Wednesday, while senior jumper Esther Solarin will compete in the triple jump on Saturday at 9:20 p.m.
Laubacher was the first to punch his ticket to Hayward Field, as it was filled with plenty of theatrics. After making it past the first round in Lexington, Kentucky, he eyed a chance to be one of 12 making it past the quarterfinals. He did, clocking a 13.701, slipping past Health Baldwin of Michigan State by .001 seconds to earn the final spot.
Running in the first heat, he had to play the waiting game, but the opportunity to still compete this week made it all worth it.
"It means a lot to me, just to get in by that much. I was just praying to God that it happened and it did -- nothing else to owe but to God and the man upstairs," Laubacher said, recalling the wait while the other two heats ran. "That was the worst, I finished the race, ran as (best) as I possibly could. (Then) just sat there with my jumps coach (Arnaldo Morales), and (sprints) Coach T and just prayed to God. Once that time flashed up on the board, it was awesome."
Like many will say around this time of the year, it's the level of competition that pushes the athlete, a rule of thumb that Laubacher agrees with.
"It's just a great opportunity for me. I also think of it as a great opportunity to put Youngstown State out there, and just show them we can compete with you guys and we can show up and show out," Laubacher said. "It's awesome. I like it, because I like showing up and just being able to be like, hey, I'm here from Youngtown, Ohio. I know you don't know who I am but I'm here to run with you guys.
"Another thing I think, is just being able to show up and have the want to -- being able to want to hurdle and focus on it and perfecting your craft."
Laubacher's younger brother, Garrett, also sprints for YSU, and is someone that Luke leans on.
"It helps so much, because I help him and he helps me. We just help each other a lot, so it's great," Laubacher added.
Meanwhile, Solarin admits that she was nervous on the final day of regional action, but she broke those nerves early on in the triple jump.
Competing in the third flight, she marked a 13.08m on her first attempt, which broke her previous school record and additionally placed her in good position early on. She'd go on to finish seventh overall in the event.
"I was honestly very nervous because that was the highest level of competition I've ever been at. It just went through my head that I had three jumps, and that's it. I have to get it out early, now is the time," Solarin said. "Took a deep breath and executed. I just went for it. I was really in shock because the jump itself, I didn't struggle with the jumps, so I was really shocked, I was surprised. I was excited, I was like, 'woah, I think I have a little bit more inside of me.'"
Solarin added, "your surroundings will not only affect your performance, but when you're amongst people who jump pretty far distances and are similar to you and better than you, it puts the pressure on you that you need to perform. I need to put it up there and level up so it forces you to go that extra mile and gives you that extra boost you wouldn't have in an environment where you're constantly winning."
Hayward Field was recently renovated and rebuilt at the University of Oregon and has been the host to numerous high level track and field competitions.
In a meet like this, sometimes you have to soak the experience in.
"Track has really taken me to so many places. The experiences it has brought to me, it's so amazing -- the people, seeing new places -- it's crazy. I really love where track has taken me. It's opened so many doors other than just traveling and competing for me," Solarin said. "It has built me. I've developed so many different characteristics and lessons that I've learned from doing my sport.
"It's been a roller coaster of emotions -- from self-doubt and self confidence -- it's taken me everywhere. Track is really a part of me and its experiences have really shaped who I am and who I am still becoming."
Coming off the men's Horizon League triple crown for cross country, indoor and outdoor track, as well as runner up honors for the indoor and outdoor women's program this school year, sending 11 athletes to regionals and then two to nationals is the type of success that YSU head coach Brian Gorby feels is the norm.
"Really proud. We always said the standard here is making nationals, but getting here, all the credit goes to the athletes," Gorby said. "National championships in any sport is the apex, so I'm not just proud but proud and excited. They keep the standard going. Eight years in a row, I never thought we'd get here one year, 10-15 years ago. We had an individual here and there over the first 15 years of the program, but eight years in a row, that's a credit to our entire staff, but especially this year to Coach Morales and Coach Townsend.
"The key is that they've been under that national microscope at Miami and NC State. They get to that level, they're comfortable with it. Our top-25 people, and then the other kids on our team are motivated to get to that."
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