Team looks to rebound from 'flat performance'

After what IU coach Randy Heisler called 'a flat performance' in the women's track and field teams' tri-meet last weekend in Columbus, Ohio, against Ohio State and Purdue, IU will travel to Colombia, Mo., to compete against Missouri, Nebraska and Wichita State tonight. The meet will not keep a team score.\nNebraska is perennially one of the top-10 teams in the country and at the top of the Big 12 Conference every season.\n"We are going against probably one of the traditionally best women's track teams in the country in Nebraska," coach Phil Henson said. "Missouri has always been a solid team in the middle of the Big 12 with always a few good athletes."\nDespite IU's flat performance last weekend in Columbus, four IU athletes took first place in their respective events. Juniors Charlene Maddox ran 57.66 seconds to win the 400-meter dash, and Larra Overton won the 800-meter run in 2:15.68.\nSophomore Jean Schaffer won the high jump by clearing 1.72-meters, and sophomore LaDonna Ray ran 1:36.21 to win the 600-meter run.\nJunior Emily Tharpe, who set the IU record in the pole vault last season by clearing 3.96-meters, said her goal for tonight is to set a new personal record in the pole vault.\n"I hope everyone goes out and has great performances so we can go into our upcoming meets with a lot more confidence and go into Big Tens with a lot more confidence," Tharpe said.\nLast weekend, Missouri finished last in a tri-meet held in Columbia, Mo., against conference foes Kansas and Kansas State. Even though the team finished last, three members from Missouri posted provisional-qualifying marks -- Amanda Bales in the mile and Conrad Woolsey and Janae Strickland in the shot put -- which will allow the athletes to compete at the NCAA Championship meet in Arkansas.\nWichita State took fourth place out of 13 teams last weekend in Colorado Springs, Colo., at the Air Force Invitational. Nebraska hosted a home invitational last weekend where seven Nebraska athletes posted provisional qualifying marks.\nWith a month until the Big Ten Indoor Championship in Iowa City, Iowa, Heisler is remaining optimistic about the team's growth.\n"I just want to see us get better," Heisler said. "Last week we maybe took a step backwards, so maybe we take two steps this week."\n-- Contact staff writer Steve Slivka at smslivka@indiana.edu.