This weekend the Belles will travel to Normal, Ill., for Illinois Wesleyan's annual Spring Fling Tournament to compete in their biggest meet of the season thus far.
"This meet gives us the opportunity to see where we are this far in the season," Belles coach Mark Hamilton said. "We have to know what it takes to be a top ten team, but there is work to be done before that goal can be realized."
In this two-day meet, the Belles will face a very competitive field featuring conference rival Olivet, the host Titans, DePauw, North Central College, Central College and Washington-St. Louis.
"This will be a great meet," Hamilton said. "This weekend at IWU will be an important measuring stick for us, [as] five of the top-10 programs will be in the 18-team field. I expect nothing but big performances and a fantastic finish to this weekend."
In his squad's final invitational of the year, Hamilton will look for team improvement and growth rather than focusing on the results. This will be the Belles' last tournament to prepare for the MIAA and NCAA qualifier rounds later this month.
"We need to work on trusting our games, trusting what we practice and not be afraid to take it to the course in competition," Hamilton said. "We need everyone to play well and give it their all. The beauty of a two-day meet is you can assess your growth and make adjustments accordingly, the next day."
The Belles are coming off an encouraging performance from the Southwestern Invitational. Saint Mary's competed against three nationally-ranked teams among other competition while placing fourth overall. The Belles hope to grow from this performance and use it to their advantage in the upcoming two-day meet.
"This meet will not only be a physical meet but it will help our team grow as a whole," Hamilton said. "We will learn a lot from this meet, find our mistakes and learn from them from the first hole to the last. Each member on the team will play a big role in their own learning process."
The Belles will not only look for strong performances on the course but they will try to consistently play well as a team.
"Last meet was combination of disappointment and excitement," Hamilton said. "Disappointed because we did not come away with a victory but excited about the progress we have made."
Illinois Wesleyan's annual Spring Fling begins Saturday and will continue Sunday in Normal, Ill.
Contact Andrew Cardoza at acardoza@nd.edu
