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The Indiana Daily Student

sports

Survive and advance

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A select group of Hoosier athletes will look to survive their trip to Lexington, Kentucky, for the NCAA East Regional as they attempt to keep their individual seasons alive.

Seventeen men and 11 women will represent IU as each individual tries to qualify for a spot in the National Championships on June 8. The top 48 declared athletes in each event will compete in a series of qualifying rounds to eliminate all but 12 people.

Coach Ron Helmer said the best 12 from athletes from this half of the United States will then meet up with the top 12 from the West preliminary in the finals.

“The whole goal is to survive and advance,” Helmer said. “Being 12th is just as good as being first. We have a good number of people who could be in that 12 and that’s all you have to do.”

Redshirt senior Nakel McClinton and junior Kathrine Receveur will be a couple of the hopeful Hoosiers trying to get a spot in the finals. Both athletes are coming in with a week of rest after participating in the Big Ten Championships two weeks ago.

“Nakel was at the 
national meet last year,” Helmer said. “I hope she takes a good shot and puts herself back there. With the way Kathrine has ran lately, you would also expect her to be there in one or both of her events.”

Helmer said he feels like he has athletes on both sides that could compete for a top 12 position. Sophomore Willie Morrison was only a freshman last year when he made his first trip to the national meet.

“Willie made it there last year so I expect him to return,” Helmer said. “If you go by the seeding, we have a lot of other guys who should have a chance to advance.”

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