Notre Dame track and field will return to action on the road this weekend, traveling north to Ann Arbor for the Michigan Invitational.
The competition will be the team’s third in 2024 and the first meet away from South Bend this year. The Irish’s first meet of the new year occurred last weekend, as Notre Dame played host to their own invitational. The Notre Dame invitational marked the end of a nearly two-month long break for the Irish squad, who had last competed in early December in Boston prior to the meet.
The invitational on home ground proved to be a fruitful one for Notre Dame. Freshman Jack Ahart was named ACC Rookie of the Week for his performances in the Loftus Center over the weekend. Ahart notched a personal best in the 400 meters, a time that was also good for first place on the day. The freshman from Kinnelon, New Jersey ran a 47.60, which currently stands as the fastest 400 meter time in the ACC thus far in the indoor season. Ahart also anchored the Irish in the 4x400 relay, which finished second to DePaul.
More athletes than Ahart made their mark on the Notre Dame invitational, though. Senior Jadin O'Brien finished first in both the shotput and the 60 meter hurdles, a testament to the range of one of the Irish’s most versatile competitors. O’Brien, who holds the Irish program record in the pentathlon, should be a major factor in any success Notre Dame has in Ann Arbor.
Another notable performance for the Irish last weekend came from Dartmouth transfer Michelle Quinn. The graduate student notched the event’s top time in both the 60 and 200 meters, and will no doubt be looking to parlay her momentum from Loftus into a strong outing in Ann Arbor.
Notre Dame will now be entering a critical stretch of the season during which the team will be competing every weekend running up until the ACC tournament at the end of February. The Irish will be back at home twice though before the season comes to a close, first at the Meyo Invitational next weekend, before returning later in the month for the Alex Wilson Invitational.
