By Sara Folkestad, UND Athletic Media Relations 

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- You are only as good as your teammates. For Jessica Butler and Jessica Clausnitzer of the UND women’s track team, the friendly competition between the two athletes has proved to be a good starting block to what looks to be a promising track season.  

Butler, a sophomore, competes in the hurdles and jump events, and Clausnitzer runs the hurdles and competes in the pole vault. The athletes have both enjoyed the competition with their teammates, and seeing how far they can push themselves, especially in the 60-meter hurdles, which they both compete.

“It’s definitely friendly competition," Butler said, "And it’s really good competition. Jessica Clausnitzer and I both have the top two times in the conference, which is really good because we are able to push each other hard in practice and in meets, which allows us to be successful.”

Clausnitzer echoed that, saying, “Butler is an intense person and works hard. It’s rewarding to watch a teammate work hard with you. It’s fun.”

The two have each taken different paths to UND. Butler started doing hurdles in high school as a senior, and did sprints and jumping events prior to that. Clausnitzer, on the other hand, started hurdles immediately in seventh grade when she started track, despite the wishes of her father.

“My father wanted me to run the 800 run because that’s what he ran," Clausnitzer said, "but I chose hurdles in seventh grade. In ninth grade, when women could first start doing pole vault, I did that.”

The differences don’t stop there. Clausnitzer calls the pole vault her primary event, not the hurdles, and she has had some success in both of them. She says because pole vault is her main event, her training regimen and preparation for meets is not the same as Butler’s. Also, Butler says training for indoor track and outdoor track is the same, but that she prefers indoor track to outdoor track because you are minus all the elements like weather. Clausnitzer agreed that indoor track allows you to forget about distractions like weather, but says that outdoor track feels more like “track.”

There are also similarities. Butler and Clausnitzer agree it is important to be quick if you want to be a successful hurdler. Butler also says you need to be able to focus, especially in the shorter hurdle race because it goes by so fast. Clausnitzer says being aggressive in the race is among many factors that will go into the outcome of a race that she says is more of a sprint, than a jump.

One of this season’s challenges for the track team is the move to Division I and new competition in the Great West Conference.

“I was pretty nervous about what the Great West would be like," Butler said. "But I have looked at the standings and really think it’s comparable to the NCC (North Central Conference)."

The Great West Conference Indoor Championships were held Mar. 1-2 in Vermillion, S.D., which gave the team a chance to gauge where they are at among the other Great West teams.  The Sioux finished in fourth place, led by Clausnitzer’s event titles in the 60-meter hurdles and the pole vault.  Butler finished 6^th in the 60 meter hurdles and 7^th in the high jump. The meet gave them an indication of the competition and should prepare them for the upcoming outdoor season.

“I think everyone’s excited for outdoor track because of the larger meets," Clausnitzer said. "By the end of outdoor season, everyone will start to adjust to the bigger meets."

Both also have goals of a Great West Championship for the team this season.

“We can’t do the NCAA Championships this year because we’re in the transitional period, so getting a Great West Championship would be good,” Butler said.

The outdoor season begins for the Sioux on Mar. 13-14 at the Aztec Classic in San Diego, Calif. The team will travel to California multiple times, and the Great West Outdoor Championships will be held in Houston, Texas. Clausnitzer said because of the increase in travel, it is important to be organized, and it will be worth the effort. Stay tuned for the results.