IU track, field returns to Kentucky

After a successful outing for the IU pole vault program, the men and women pole-vaulters will rest this weekend while the remainder of the team travels to the Kentucky Relays.

This weekend, IU track and field has its sights set on Lexington, Ky., where the Kentucky Wildcats will play host to a variety of competitors on their signature blue track.

“It’s a brand-new venue for us, so we’ll see some different teams that we don’t normally see,” IU Associate Head Coach Jeff Huntoon said. “There’s a lot of upside to it.”

Junior distance runner Evan Esselink returns to competition this Saturday for the first time since his record-setting 10-kilometer race in Stanford.

Running the 10K in 29 minutes and 28 seconds — the sixth-best finish in school history — marked a turning point in Esselink’s focus as a runner.

“I realized that I am definitely a distance guy,” he said. “A switch went off in my brain like, ‘This is what I’m good at. This is what I want to do.’”

For Esselink, the upside of the Kentucky Relays is sharpening his speed as he builds toward longer races. He’ll compete in the mile, his first ever on an outdoor track.

“Doing something a little faster before a 5K is always good. It makes the pace a little easier,” he said. “And I know that the 5K will then help the 10K feel easier when it matters.”

This Saturday’s competition will mark back-to-back weekends for IU track and field in Kentucky.

Last weekend, the team took part in the two-on-two Border Battle meet, dueling with Purdue against opponents Louisville and Notre Dame in Louisville, Ky.

Senior Kelsie Ahbe led the women’s pole vault group in a strong performance at Cardinal Park.

This week, she earned Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week honors with a personal record vault of 4.32 meters.

That mark is a stadium record, meet record and the fifth-best clearance in the NCAA.

“To see (Ahbe) have this kind of success and just knowing how much dedication, how much time and work she’s put in, that’s the rewarding part,” Assistant Coach Jake Wiseman said.

Ahbe is the second of back-to-back Big Ten Athlete of the Week recipients for the Hoosiers.

Senior Kyla Buckley, the other recipient, will face some fierce competition this weekend in the women’s shot put — an area where the Wildcats are strong.

“This is a part of the country that seems to produce a lot of good throwing talent,” Huntton said. “Between a Southern Illinois, a Kentucky, an Indiana and a Louisville, you’ve got quite a concentration of really good female throwers. It’s a good opportunity for Kyla to continue to see competition at the national level.”

For the first time in several weeks, the majority of the team will compete together, as athletes continue to strive for regional qualifying marks.

But for Wiseman, this is the opportune weekend to give his the pole-vaulters time to rest before gearing up to championship form.

“It’s a long year,” he said. “There’s a lot more track and field left for the athletes, and a lot more travel.

“So anytime I feel the best benefit is to stay home to get more training in, that’s what we want to do.”