Track-and-field teams ready for weekend invitational

After strong performances at the Indiana Team Classic last weekend, the men's and women's track and field teams prepare to host the Gladstein Invitational on Friday and Saturday.\nThe women will be led this weekend by senior Stacey Clausing, who currently holds the team's top times for the 60-meter dash, 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash. Clausing, who posted career bests in the 200- and 400-meter dashes in last weekend's meet, hopes that the young squad can perform well while preparing for the Big Ten championships in late February.\n"We need to keep our legs fresh, while still putting up good times and remaining competitive," Clausing said. \nMen's throwing coach Wil Fleming's sentiments were in line with Clausing's while he discussed how his throwers were preparing for this weekend's invitational.\n"Our oldest thrower is a redshirt sophomore, so our team is young and has a lot of enthusiasm," Fleming said. "At this point in the season they are still learning how to compete, and this meet provides them the opportunity to face better competition in preparing for the Big Ten championships."\nOne of the young throwers who has grasped how to compete is the number one throwing recruit in the nation, freshman Eric Werskey. He currently holds the team best in shot put by over 1 meter with a distance of 17.67 meters and has the second best weight throw with 16.06 meters. Werskey said he chose IU because it was a great program and it was close to home. \n"Both of my parents went to IU, so it was kind of in my blood," Werskey said, "… also because IU is a competitor in the Big Ten."\nWerskey is used to the caliber of competition the Big Ten will offer. While in high school Eric competed in Beijing, for the 2006 IAAF World Junior Championships, where he finished 13th in Group B of the shot put. \nThe men's squad also boasts a standout athlete in the triple jump heading into this weekend's meet. Junior Kyle Jenkins recorded the best triple jump of the NCAA season last weekend at the Indiana Team Classic. Jenkins jumped a distance of 15.86 meters, earning him the title of Big Ten Athlete of the Week.\nThe Hoosiers are hoping to showcase their talent this weekend. The Gladstein Invitational will bring in top athletes from colleges such as Louisville, Michigan, Mississippi, Butler and Southern Indiana.\n"We have a lot of talent on this team but talent doesn't win anything," Fleming said. "On the men's and women's side we could have several Big Ten champions, so the key is to continue working hard, taking it one week at a time, taking care of business this week, and hopefully the chips fall into place to where our team can be successful"