After a weekend in which IU track and field nabbed four different NCAA best marks and two personal records, the team is the most confident it’s been this season.
“If on Jan. 12 we can go out and put those kind of marks on the board, there should be some really good things coming,” IU Head Coach Ron Helmer said.
The Hoosiers look to keep that confidence going this weekend as they host the Gladstein Invitational. The competition consists of 12 teams other than Indiana, including Bradley University, Butler University, University of Cincinnati and Dayton University.
“It's probably just what we need this time of the year given where we are and what we have going on,” said Helmer when asked about this weekend's competition.
In regards to what the team has going on, the lineup is going to look more different for the Hoosiers than it has in their three prior meets. The team uses this invitational as an opportunity to get athletes experience in events they aren’t accustomed to competing in.
Redshirt sophomore Cooper Williams and junior Kelsey Harris — both national leaders in the 800-meter — will compete in the 600-meter this weekend. Sophomore Natalie Price, IU’s most competitive 400-meter runner, will also be competing in the 600-meter.
“You can grow in your primary event by improving in events on either side of it,” Helmer said. “It gives them a challenge and doesn’t make them feel like every week they have to go in and run the same event,.”
Even with the lineup changes, Helmer still expects good showings from the team, specifically the pole-vaulters.
“That group of pole-vaulters is vaulting really well and they typically vault well at home,” said Helmer.
This includes junior Adam Coulon, who set a personal record in IU's last meet.
Another big name to watch out for is junior distance runner Kyle Mau, the reigning Big Ten Men's Track Athlete of the Week.
Helmer also said to look out for redshirt senior Joe Murphy, senior Maggie Allen and redshirt senior Katherine Receveur this weekend.
The meet begins at 3:30 p.m Friday inside Gladstein Fieldhouse.
