9 Hoosiers vie for national championship

Now is the time everyone strives for.

When the track and field season began in mid-January, all the athletes competed with the ultimate goal of getting to the national championship this weekend in College Station, Texas.

Nine Hoosiers have reached this goal and will compete for the right to be crowned the best in their event.

IU coach Ron Helmer said getting to this point is most important.

“We’ve got nine kids that have the opportunity to be All-Americans, but I don’t think we have a specific line for success,” Helmer said.

The nine Hoosiers are senior Jeff Coover, seeded sixth in men’s pole vault; senior Molly Beckwith, seeded ninth in the 800-meter run; junior Vera Neuenswander, seeded 12th in women’s pole vault; senior Wendi Robinson, seeded 14th in the 5,000-meter run and freshman Derek Drouin, seeded 15th in the long jump. Also competing for the Hoosiers will be the 14th-seeded distance medley relay team.

IU can score points as a team and garner an All-American award by placing in the top eight in a given event.

Helmer said he doubts the Hoosiers are good enough to win a championship.

“I don’t think we are at that level yet, but you never know,” he said. 

– By Ari Shifron