The outdoor season began with a bang for Marquette’s track and field team and distance runner Jayne Grebinski.  The senior won the 1,500 meter-run at the Bulls Invitational in Tampa, Fla., Friday.

Grebinski finished the race in 4:30.29, just .3 seconds ahead of the second place finisher from Michigan. It was the school’s fourth fastest 1,500 ever. Junior teammate Olivia Johnson was close behind Grebinski and Michigan’s Kaitlyn Peale in third place at 4:31.68. Johnson’s performance was the fifth best in Marquette outdoor history.

Coach Mike Nelson said Grebinski’s performance was fantastic.

“I was impressed not only with her finishing time but with all aspects of the race,” Nelson said. “She took charge of the race right from the get go and was very aggressive right off the line.”

The third fastest time in school history was run in 4:24.55 and the second in 4:23.93. Grebinski put herself right behind those two times and is eager to overtake them.

“I think I could get pretty close to (the second or third best times),” Grebinski said. “Obviously it would take a little bit more speed training to reach those times.”

To run an even better 1,500, Nelson said Grebinski would have to be in a race against great competition where she wouldn’t have to lead the entire race like she did in Tampa. She needs other athletes to push her to do her best.

But Grebinski may not have many opportunities to improve her 1,500 time. Her focus this season will be on the 5,000 meter-race and the 3,000-meter steeplechase — a race with five barriers the athletes must hurdle.

Nelson said if Grebinski were to put all of her time and effort into running the 1,500 she would improve her time, but she will probably only get one or two more attempts to run a 1,500 this season.

“She definitely has the ability to run faster (in the 1,500), but I don’t know if she’ll get the opportunity,” Nelson said. “She has the ability but not the opportunity.”

The next meet for Grebinski will be Friday at the Stanford Invitational in Stanford, Calif. Where she will compete in the steeplechase, not the 1,500. Other members of the team will compete in the San Francisco State Distance Carnival Friday in San Francisco.

Sophomore Jack Hackett, who won the mile race at the Bulls Invitational Friday, will compete in his first ever 5,000 meter-race at Stanford. Hackett said he’s nervous, but ready, for what he called the biggest meet in the country.