Wiltrout, Quarzo ready to compete in NCAA national meet
Submitted photo
University of North Carolina’s Madison Wiltrout competes in her third NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships this evening at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. The Connellsville graduate seeks her second first-team All-America honors in the javelin. (Jeffrey A. Camarati photo)
Submitted photo
Gionna Quarzo (right) and teammate Allie Hays hug after both distance runners qualified for the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the East Regional in Indianapolis. Quarzo, a Brownsville graduate, runs in the 10,000 meters final today at 8:08 p.m. local time at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. (Photo courtesy of North Carolina State Sports Information Department)
Connellsville’s Madison Wiltrout and Brownsville’s Gionna Quarzo seek to end their collegiate seasons later today with All-America honors with the Fayette County athletes participating in the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships at historic Hayward Field.
Wiltrout, a graduate student at the University of North Carolina, advanced to her third national meet in the javelin. She placed 16th in 2021 for second-team honors and was third for first-team recognition in 2019 with a throw of 181-2.
Wiltrout qualified for the nationals with her throw of 182-11 in the Eastern Regional at Indianapolis. Her best effort this season was 196-11 in the ACC Championships.
BYU’s Ashton Riner enters with the top throw of the spring at 198 feet.
The first of two flights is scheduled to begin at 6:45 p.m. local time. Wiltrout and Riner throw in the second flight. Should Wiltrout advance to the final round, she likely will be throwing after 8 p.m.
The added dimension in competing for a national title is the time difference on the West Coast.
“Last year, (the time difference) did bother me when I didn’t prepare for it. I’m trying to keep a normal home schedule. I trust my body and what I do every day,” explained Wiltrout, adding with a laugh, “It’ll be late. That’s past my bedtime.”
Quarzo, a North Carolina State sophomore, runs in one heat of 24 runners in the 10,000 meters at 8:08 p.m. local time. She placed fifth in the Eastern Regional with a time of 34:26.27.
“I actually love running at night. Waiting that long, I’m not as nervous. Track is more fun under the lights,” said Quarzo, adding, “With a morning race, it’s hard to fall asleep. I’m nervous. I think I’ll be fine with (the time difference). I don’t think it will bother me.”
Wiltrout aims to finish first every time she competes, and the NCAA national is no different.
“I have the second-best throw by a foot (entering the final). The only place it matters was to get into the last flight. The top six are in the final flight,” said Wiltrout. “I know in my heart, wow, (Riner). I know I have to be in the high 180s or 190s (feet) with that other girl.
“I’m coming in to win it. There’s always the reality I won’t. I want to place in the top-3 like I did before.”
Wiltrout continued, saying, “I don’t think I take that for granted. I’m very thankful I’m here. I’m blessed I got here. I’m focused on the now.”
Wiltrout said she focuses on technique, not a distance.
“If I think distance, that messes me up. You try to throw (a distance) and you mess up,” said Wiltrout.
But, she does plan to employ another dimension she recently added to her throwing technique.
“I will yell,” said Wiltrout.
Wiltrout maintains her third trip to the national meet differs from the previous two.
“It’s very different. The first trip I was sick. I thought I had the flu. Eventually I was tested and found out I had mononucleosis,” said Wiltrout. “This time is so different. I feel great.”
Wiltrout said the recent renovations at Hayward Field have taken some of the aura from the historic venue.
“Since the renovation, it’s not the same at all. Everything looks so new. It has the biggest Jumbotron I’ve ever seen,” said Wiltrout.
Wiltrout is one of seven Tar Heels to qualify for the meet, adding to the enjoyment and experience of competing with the nation’s best.
“The feeling everyone brings there, it makes it more fun,” said Wiltrout. “We went to Voodoo Doughnut. It’s a different feeling (with teammates).”
Wiltrout has already qualified for the USA Outdoor nationals with the hope of making the world championship team.
“I think the (automatic qualifying distance is 209 feet), so I’m 10, 12 feet away,” said Wiltrout. “If I could hit that, that would be awesome. Don’t get me wrong. That would be sick.
“But, I’ll get through the NCAAs first. I go one meet at a time.”
Quarzo is running in her first national meet, so she’s not quite sure what to expect other than looping the Hayward Field track 25 times.
“I’m not nervous, but it hasn’t hit me I’m running in the nationals,” said Quarzo. “I’m going to have fun with it. I train with the best girls in the nation. That’s why I went to North Carolina State.
“Running (in the regional) was more nerve-racking. I was trying to make it to nationals.”
The 10,000 meters is not competed often throughout the season, but Quarzo understands the strategy in the distance race.
“It’s not a super-fast pace. Everyone bunches up. The 10K is more of a mental race than physical race,” said Quarzo, whose personal-best time is 33:26. “I’ve been in so many big meets, I’m used to it. Everyone here is pretty quick. I don’t think the pace will be too slow.
“The 10K is my favorite event. One of my strengths is I zone out. That’s why I love longer distances.”
Quarzo reiterated the impact practicing with the Wolfpack daily has on her confidence entering the race.
“I am on the best team ever. They push me to run so much faster,” said Quarzo.
Quarzo, too, hopes to return home with a wooden trophy given to the best in the nation.
“My biggest goal is to get All-America, whether first or second team,” said Quarzo. “I don’t know what quite to expect. I just want to have fun and take advantage of the opportunity.”
The elder Quarzo contacted her younger sister Jolena after she repeated as PIAA champion in the 3,200 and broke her 3-year-old Class AA record. The younger sister managed to have a quick call before she and her mother hit the road to be in the stands for the race.
“She’s so excited that I made it here as a sophomore,” said Quarzo.
The journey to All-America status got off to a rocky start for both local athletes, though, when mechanical issues forced the plane from Denver to turn around during its connecting flight to Oregon. Wiltrout and Quarzo had a short night at nearby hotels before continuing the journey early the next morning.
“That was horrible,” explained Wiltrout. “There was a mechanical issue with the plane out of Denver. We were up in the air for 20 minutes and had to turn back to Denver.
“I had no sleep. A couple of the coaches actually stayed at the airport to make sure we’d get our connecting flight.”
“It was a 24-hour trip,” Quarzo said of the experience.
Both, however, managed to catch up on the lost rest and proclaimed themselves good to go.
“Yesterday, I was a little tired, but I caught up on my sleep,” said Quarzo.
“Actually, I think I’m pretty good,” said Wiltrout.