Duncan Hamilton and Lucy Corbett lead the way for a promising outdoor track season

With the indoor track season drawing to a close, it’s time for most track and field athletes to switch the focus and begin looking at the outdoor season which lies just around the corner. 

But Duncan Hamilton and Lucy Corbett aren’t making that transition quite yet. 

They’re heading to the 2023 NCAA Division 1 Indoor Track and Field Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico this weekend to compete in the 3,000 meter and high jump, respectively. 

Hamilton also qualified for the mile, but decided to put his focus on the 3k. 

“I scratched the mile just to focus on the 3k because I think that is my strongest event. I’m just trying to score as high as I can in that one,” Hamilton said. “My last two indoor meets I was kind of passive and just sat at the back for most of it, so I’d like to not do that this year.”

Both Hamilton and Corbett will compete on day two of the meet; Saturday, March 11. For those who can’t take a 17 hour road trip to watch the historically strong national meet in person, it can be streamed live on ESPN+.

“Distance [running] is super strong right now. I’ll be racing the collegiate record holder. It’s a historically fast field,” Hamilton said. “This is one of the hardest meets to get into.”

In a historically competitive year, many athletes missed out on competing. Hamilton’s teammate, Levi Taylor, placed 17th overall in the mile with a time of 4:04 but only the top 16 make it to the national meet.

The outdoor season is right around the corner following Hamilton and Corbett’s trials at nationals, and other team members are warming up.

“I mainly compete in hurdles and long jump, and outdoors I also run the 100 and the 4x100 relay,” said grad student Elena Carter. “This outdoor season I am redshirting so I can focus on school. However, I am going to compete unattached in a few meets throughout the season. I think that the ultimate goal would be to win outdoor conference next year in the 100 hurdles and long jump, and qualify for further meets after our regular season.”

The Bobcats have a very unified team, which goes a long way when athletes get more isolated as they further into the season. Even after graduation, the team still acts as one by supporting each other. 

“One thing that has been really special for me has been being able to run track with my sister, Leigha, who is also part of the team. It is really cool to be able to share the unique experience of being a student athlete with someone that I am already so close to,” Carter said. “Another thing that has made competing at MSU special for me is that I've met some of my best friends on the team. Although one of my closest friends graduated last year, he is still super supportive of the team, and coaches me on little things when he can, and I really appreciate that.” 

Watch the championship indoor meet March 10-11, and keep an eye on our Bobcats as the outdoor season gets fully underway because, come early June, there could be a caravan headed down to Austin, Texas, to compete at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.