IU to feel National Championship vibe at Tyson Invitational

At the Tyson Invitational, several members of the IU track-and-field team will preview what the NCAA Indoor Championships could be like.

Similar to the NCAAs, the Hoosiers will be competing in the  Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark.

And like the NCAAs, the Hoosiers will be going up against some of the top track-and-field athletes in the country.

IU coach Ron Helmer said this weekend’s meet can do something special for his student athletes.

“At Tyson, everything is just a little bit different,” Helmer said. “I think it’s good for them to be comfortable in that environment, so that when we go to the National Championships, they have that comfort level.”

Last season, four Hoosiers won their respective events at the Tyson Invitational.
Of those four, senior Jeff Coover, graduate student Wendi Robinson and sophomore Cole Hardacre look to defend their winning marks.

This year, though, more IU athletes will try to leave their mark in Arkansas. Hoosier runners are hoping to have strong performances against some of the toughest opponents they have seen this year.

Junior sprinter Devin Pipkin said this level of competition will motivate him even further.

“Arkansas just has that big-time feel to it,” Pipkin said. “Tyson is almost like a national meet with the caliber of competition there. It’s something you definitely have to bring your ‘A’ game to with schools like LSU and Texas being there.”

The remainder of the IU track-and-field team will be in Bloomington for the Hoosier Hills at the Gladstein Fieldhouse. The Hoosier Hills is IU’s final home meet of the indoor season.