Track & Field: One Brice Conquered, Another Brice Follows
Joe Brice (’80) was the greatest thrower in UMass Lowell history. Freshman Patricia Brice looks to leave a legacy as a sprinter.

by KELSEY O’NEIL, for goriverhawks.com

The sport of track and field is a passion for the Brice family and freshman Chelmsford native Patricia Brice is working hard to uphold the family name in the record books at UMass Lowell.

Her father, Joe Brice, was a four time all American from 1976 to 1980 and was inducted into the UML Hall of Fame in 1985.  He still owns the school record for the outdoor discus throw with a distance of 188’3.0” as well as seven of the top ten throws in school history.  His outdoor shot put record of 50’10.0” in 1978 was finally ousted last year, 29 years later.

But Patricia hasn’t followed in her father’s footsteps in the event, just the sport. 

“Ever since I was little they knew I was going to be a runner,” she states, “I don’t have his (Joe Brice’s throwing) ability.”

But she certainly has the ability as a runner.  Already this season she has finished sixth in the 800 meters at the Harvard Invitational with a time of 2:21.44, the 10th fastest individual time in UML history.  At the Tuffs Jumbo Invitational she competed in the 600 meters and secured the fourth fastest time in school history, 1:39.08.

Brice also ran the 400 meter dash on UML’s distance medley relay team, which shattered the school record (11:54.72) at the Boston University St. Valentine’s Day Invitational, and qualified for the NCAA championship with the seventh-fastest time in the country. At the same meet, she ran a leg on UML’s 4X400 meter relay which qualified for the NCAAs with a time of 3:55.63 (18th in Division II).

Finally at the Boston University Terrier Invitational, Brice finished eighth overall and first among Division II-III athletes in the 500 meters with a time of 1:17.13, the fifth fastest time in school history.  It was her very first time competing in the 500 meter event.

Apparently not fazed by the pressure, Brice is surprised she is doing so well so fast, adapting to competing at the college level very quickly and successfully. 

“I knew I had it in me, but I didn’t know it would come so fast,” Brice noted. She attributes the smooth transition to the constant structure that has existed in her life between school and track.

Brice may get the results she wants, but that doesn’t stop the nervous jitters before race time.  She focuses mainly on her competition before a big race but cites that it is more difficult in college. 

In high school Brice knew her competition, their names and times.  Being a freshman, she is unfamiliar as to her opponents' abilities and can only rely on herself.  She hopes that as she gets older this will change and she will eventually know her competition again. 

Brice also remarked another major difference between high school track and the sport at the collegiate level: in high school “you” ran for times, in college “you” run to catch the girl in front of you.  And what if there’s no girl in front of you I asked? 

“Well, that hasn’t happened to me yet,” she laughed.

Her father’s impressive record has only motivated Brice to better herself as she has set some pretty lofty goals.  She wants to meet her father’s four time All American status and jokes that he was at UML for a total of five years. 

“He’s not my reason for running track here.  He’s just supportive,” she noted.  “He is proud of me no matter what.”  Brice does admit that everyone knows him or knows about him but suggests that because of this it has made her more comfortable and has helped her to adapt quicker.

Having attended all of the meets this season, Joe Brice is able to share his own memories of the same meets in which he competed, with his daughter.  She enjoys sharing the experience and says it’s an interesting one.

Like so many high school seniors, Brice expressed a need to get away from home, originally wanting to attend school in Florida.  She was looking at Barry University and The University of Miami, but after talking with UML coaches and staying over at the campus, “It all just fell into place,” she said.  “It’s the best decision I’ve made.”

In her freshman year of high school, Brice had designs on playing softball. She wasn’t even looking to run track in college at first.  “I definitely can’t see myself not doing it now,” she said.

Originally unsure if track was manageable with school, she talked to her father who was again supportive and didn’t pressure her.  “My dad told me I didn’t have to do track, but because of the positive experience he had in college he said he would love to me do it,” she explained.  “I knew I wanted to.  But I was nervous.”

As for the future Brice has her eyes set on breaking the 500 meter record at New England Championship (Friday and Saturday at Boston University) and hopefully some others along the way.

“I would love to be able to break records, but we do have a lot of other amazing runners here,” Brice noted.

Those other amazing runners are Brice’s teammates who she states are always pushing her and each other.  “Everyone says your team in college is like your family in college,” said Brice. “And that’s how it is.”