By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise (Brockton)
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- At this time last spring, she was preparing to represent Plymouth South High in state and New England track and field meets.
One year later, Jayci Andrews is in Iowa, getting ready for her second appearance in the NCAA Division 3 Track & Field Championships in three months as a freshman at Bridgewater State University.
The Plymouth resident has burst onto the college scene with a sensational debut season, breaking school records and qualifying for the national meet in the winter and spring.
"I never thought I'd do this as a freshman,'' said Andrews. "It never really went through my mind.''
Andrews will be in the 400-meter race in Waverly, Iowa, with the preliminary run Friday and the final Saturday afternoon. She is seeded 15th in the nation with a school-record time of 55.76 seconds, established at the ECAC Division 3 Championships.
The second trip to the NCAAs caps a year to remember for Andrews, who was named the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference rookie of the week 16 times (eight each in the winter and spring) and the track athlete of the week eight times (four each).
She set BSU records this spring in the 100 high hurdles (14.58 seconds), the 400 and the 4x100 relay. In the winter, Andrews established school marks in the 400 (57.14) and the 4x400 relay.
"She was our best recruit coming in, so we knew she was going to score a lot of points for us,'' said Bears coach Amy Delgado. "But we didn't see her being a national qualifier as a freshman.
"She adjusted so well. Usually freshman year is a struggle with classes and getting used to the workouts, but she really took to it very well. She's never sore, never injured and hopefully we can keep that going the next few years.
"There's a lot of natural ability and she's very competitive. She hates to lose and that's what we love about her. I can put her in any event and say, 'You've got to go win this,' and she says, 'OK,' and she does it.''
During the winter season, Andrews finished first at the MASCAC Championships in the 200, 400 and long jump and was part of the winning 4x400 relay team and won the 400 at the ECACs
In the spring, Andrews had first-place finishes in the MASCAC in the 400 and long jump and was on the record-setting 4x100 relay team that won. She earned All-New England honors by placing fourth in the 100 and at the ECACs she took second in the 400, third in the 100 and was on the 4x100 relay team that was fifth.
"I just started getting more confidence as the year went on,'' said Andrews. "I'm surprised how well I've done. I've been working hard every day at practice and I'm eating right.''
During the NCAA Championships in March, Andrews placed 11th in the 400 with a time of 57.75 seconds. Competing in the national spotlight the first time, Andrews admits, made her nervous, but having that experience will help on this trip back to Iowa.
"I was so nervous,'' said Andrews, who just missed qualifying in the hurdles event this spring. "There were people from all over. It was different. I just tried not to think about it. Hopefully, it'll calm me down more since I'm already used to it, but I'll still probably be a little nervous.
"(Trying to get back to the NCAAs) motivated me a lot during the spring season. It's real exciting to be going again.''