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(12/07/09 2:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This year’s cross country season had its ups and downs, but to IU coach Ron Helmer and the rest of the team, it is a learning and building process.Both teams came into the season with high expectations for the year after being introduced to a rigorous and intense offseason workout regimen. At the beginning of the season, Helmer explained the new program.“We want to be better than we’ve been and reflect our training,” he said. “It was difficult for us to train at a high level as youth, but now we are more mature.” Maturity began paying dividends for both teams early on in the season with the men and women taking home first place accolades at the Indiana Open in Terre Haute on Sept. 18.While winning the Indiana Open was a bright spot in the year, the Paul Short Memorial Invitational can be considered the high point for the season. The race took place in Bethlehem, Pa., and put IU on the national map.The men finished first overall and beat ranked foes such as Iona, N.C. State and Princeton, while being paced by breakout freshman Andy Bayer. Iona came into the meet as a national runner-up, and the Hoosiers proved they could not only compete with the elite programs, but beat them as well.The meet was also important in the growth of the women’s team. Senior Wendi Robinson finished fourth overall in the meet, pacing the Hoosiers to a third-place finish.At this point in the season, Indiana was also beginning to earn the respect of the Big Ten, with four players in three weeks earning Big Ten Player of the Week accolades.Robinson and Bayer won for their performance at the Paul Short Invitational, and they joined sophomore Andrew Poore and freshman Zach Mayhew, who had won the award in previous weeks.On Oct. 17, the men and women continued their successful season with first-place finishes at the Sam Bell Invitational in Bloomington. This was special for the players, as IU legend Bob Kennedy and Bell himself were both in attendance.However, following the mid-season success, the Hoosier men began slumping down the stretch. A fourth-place finish for the men in regional competition wasn’t what the team had set out to achieve, and they failed to qualify for the national race. However, sophomore Andrew Poore did make it to his first national race as an individual, finishing 137th and paving the way for a bright future at IU.“The men definitely made progress this year,” Helmer said. “We just didn’t get the result that accurately reflected the progress. However, by winning in the middle of the season, we showed we can be a great, great team.”The Hoosier women had a different November, as their performance at regionals earned them their first national race bid since 2004 and the seventh in the program’s history.“We were one of the 31 best teams in the nation,” Helmer said. “And we definitely deserved to be there.”
(11/16/09 2:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU men’s and women’s cross country teams saw two fourth place individual finishes pace them to eighth and fourth place overall finishes respectively in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional. The talent pool of the home competition Saturday was deep, and the field saw three nationally-ranked teams for the men and two for the women. The men’s team was led by sophomore Andrew Poore, who finished fourth and earned an automatic qualification for the next level of the NCAAs.“I’m looking forward to it,” Poore said. “It’s my first national meet. I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing and listen to Coach Helmer. He is very good at getting athletes ready for big races.”After Poore crossed the line at 31:11:70, freshman Zach Mayhew followed close by with an 11th place finish. Both Poore and Mayhew earned All-Region accolades for their efforts.Three Hoosier women earned All-Region honors as well, including junior Sarah Pease, senior Wendi Robinson and sophomore Chelsea Blanchard. Pease put in a fourth place overall finish and led the Hoosier women to a fourth place finish as a team. It was the first time this season that Pease led the Hoosier pack. Robinson and Blanchard followed close behind, finishing sixth and 14th, respectively.“For me, I tried to stick with the race plan,” Pease said. “I just kind of got into the groove and kept it going. I was happy I could qualify on my own, but everyone on the team ran really, really well, and I’m proud of everyone. Being within three points of second, its somewhat disappointing, but also a point in the right direction.”
(11/16/09 1:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU women’s cross country team will be traveling to Terre Haute next week to compete in the NCAA Championships. They were selected as an at-large big, one of 13 awarded to teams across the nation following a strong fourth place finish at the NCAA Great Lakes regional.“We had a point or two more than a few teams,” IU coach Ron Helmer said. “The fact is that there are 13 at large teams and we ended up being selected. I absolutely believe we deserved to go, we’re running at a point in the season you want to run at.”Along with the women’s team will be men's team sophomore Andrew Poore, who will be running individually. As for preparing for a meet this late into the season, Helmer was optimistic.“Our goal is to put things into place," he said. "After our top two, we’re very young and we’ve got to get the girls comfortable to run at this level. If we keep doing what we’ve been doing, we can really go in there and run.”
(11/13/09 4:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As November quickly passes, the IU men’s and women’s cross country teams prepare for their first steps in qualifying for the national meet – the Great Lakes Regional. They will be tested heavily by both Big Ten foes and other teams from around the Midwest. Fortunately, the Hoosiers will be running on familiar ground, with the meet set to take place Saturday at their home course.“It’s an honor to host the meet,” IU coach Ron Helmer said. “Our course is great and in great shape. It’s a big deal because our kids know the course and are comfortable with it. Its been a good year so far. We’ve had a great attitude year round; the future looks very bright.”In order to qualify an automatic bid, Indiana will have to finish in the top-three teams at the regional meet. For the men, the goal is just within their grasp. They come in ranked No. 4 in the region, with Big Ten adversaries Wisconsin and Ohio State ahead of them at No. 1 and No. 3. The second spot currently belongs to in-state opponent Butler.“I think it’s one of the biggest races in our program’s recent history,” junior Cole Hardacre said. “If we make it to nationals as a team, that is pretty huge, considering only 30 teams in the country make it. The good thing is we get to practice on the course, so there will be no surprises.”The women come in ranked at No. 4 regionally, with high expectations to advance. They will face stiff competition with regional rivals Michigan, Michigan State and Notre Dame placed in front of them.In addition, Michigan and Michigan State come into the race ranked No. 23 and No. 26 in the nation, respectively.“It’s a trust thing,” senior Wendi Robinson said. “You trust the work you put in, and that makes the team more confident in trusting our preparation and training. I like what I’ve seen at practice this week. We’re ready to go.”
(10/30/09 4:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As the men’s cross country team looks ahead to a championship season, they can attribute their success not only to a strenuous workout regimen, but to strong team camaraderie and mutual leadership. A team that is primarily comprised of underclassmen, the Hoosiers have pulled together this season in order to push themselves further and train harder.“It’s always a good thing,” IU coach Ron Helmer said. “What we know is that every day, whether it’s practice or a meet, there’s going to be good things going on. They mesh competitiveness with sharing the spotlight and living together. These all rely on the maturation process and growing as athletes and people.”Sharing the spotlight has been of great importance this year, as three Hoosiers have been named Big Ten Player of the Week thus far. This has included freshmen Andy Bayer and Zach Mayhew as well as sophomore Andrew Poore.“It’s been good because we do everything together,” Poore said. “When it comes to training with each other, it’s easier, and we all step up our leadership roles. We have really bonded quickly as a team.”However, the unity between these teammates is somewhat new. Poore ran at Bishop Chatard High School in Indianapolis, while his former roommate and current teammate sophomore Andy Weatherford ran at Greencastle High School in Greencastle, Ind. While in high school, Poore earned all-city (2003-06), all-sectional (2004-06) and all-state (2005-06) accolades in cross country. Weatherford’s primary strength was in track, but he was also a four-time all-county and all-sectional champion in cross country. They had heard of each other through their respected accomplishments and knew how skilled the other was, as well as other members of the IU team that ran in Indiana.“You hold each other far more accountable and to a higher standard,” Poore said. “We all knew each other or knew who we were in high school and knew how capable of a team we could be.”The young Hoosiers have shed old rivalries en route to creating a team that is currently No. 18 in the national rankings and in prime position to excel at the Big Ten Championships on Nov. 1.“It’s translated really well,” Weatherford said. “We’re a close-knit team, and we all like to hang out with each other. It’s comforting to know that they’ve got your back.”
(10/30/09 4:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As Sunday morning quickly approaches, the IU men’s and women’s cross country teams prepare to put their season training to the test as they travel to University Park, Pa., to compete in the 2009 Big Ten Championships.“This is what we point toward – championship season. Everything else is preparation,” IU coach Ron Helmer said. “We challenged the guys and they responded at Lehigh (with a first-place finish), but an even greater challenge is to beat Wisconsin. For the girls, if we can get in the top half of the field, it’d be a great run, given the fact we are still a little inexperienced. If we build on that, we may have a chance to slide into nationals.”The Hoosier men are holding onto a No. 18 ranking in the national polls, just one point ahead of New Mexico. In order to increase their national resume, knocking off No. 15 Wisconsin would make quite a statement.The feat will not be an easy one, as Wisconsin comes into the race as 10-time perennial champions, dating back to the 1999 season. However, IU has a lot of firepower to combat the Wisconsin assault, as three different Hoosiers have been named Big Ten Player of the Week so far this year.“For Big Tens, I’m pretty excited,” former POTW and freshman Andy Bayer said. “Wisconsin is a perennial powerhouse and will be our biggest competition, but I think the team has a great shot of winning for the first time in a long time.”As for the women, senior Wendi Robinson and junior Sarah Pease look to pace the young Hoosiers this weekend. Their biggest task will be keeping up with Minnesota, who has won the last two Big Ten Championships and comes in ranked No. 15 in the nation.“As a core, we have the opportunity to run against good teams and do well,” Robinson said. “Our workout intensity has decreased this week, and Coach has us running on fresh legs. I know the weather has been rainy there, but those conditions are fine because cross country is about running in the cold, rain and mud.”
(10/30/09 4:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Strong leadership is hard to come by on a young team, but IU women’s cross country doesn’t have to look any further than junior Sarah Pease. Through fellow upperclassmen Wendi Robinson and Pease’s guidance, the Hoosiers have improved to fifth in the Division I Great Lakes regional poll.“Sarah’s a great leader because you wouldn’t know how good she is,” sophomore Breanne Ehrman said. “She is very including and is a friend to everyone as well as a great role model. Cross country has never been my strongest, but she’s always been very encouraging to me to run distance. She has pushed me forward in cross country.”Pease’s strong leadership began in Elizabeth, Ind., where she ran cross country and track at South Central High School, located 20 miles southwest of Louisville. In high school she was a four-time all-sectional, all-conference and all-region selection, qualifying for the Indiana state meet in 2003, 2005 and 2006. She also led her cross country team to four straight Southern Athletic Conference championships, earning team MVP accolades four years in a row. Perhaps the most impressive feats she accomplished were in track, where she holds the school records in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races with times of 5:26 and 11:46, respectively.However, when Pease set foot on the Bloomington campus, she did not compete in the cross country season her freshmen year, which propelled her to push harder to make an influential contribution.“Sarah’s one of those who came to IU as kind of a walk-on type athlete who has changed herself throughout the years into a track All-American,” IU coach Ron Helmer said. “She’s now positioned herself for a great season and to have a good championship run.” Vast improvements occurred during her sophomore year, when she posted a personal-best 6-kilometer time of 21:07:86 at the Big Ten Cross Country Championships. Her cross country success carried on into track season, where she ran the second-fastest indoor time of the season for the Hoosiers in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Big Ten-SEC Challenge.During her junior year, Pease started to really come into her own when she finished 25th overall at the Big Ten Championships in cross country, when she was also named a Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree. Her biggest accomplishment occurred during outdoor track season, when she took 7th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Championships, putting her in elite company as an All-American. Training. Competing year-round can have an effect on many athletes, but Pease and her IU team are adjusting just fine.“This year track lasted a lot longer,” Pease said. “It’s nice because it keeps you training all year and different because you have two different types of training. It’s nice to mix it up.” This year, Pease and the Hoosiers have gotten off to a solid start as they have finished first in two meets, the Indiana Intercollegiates and the Sam Bell Invitational. Their biggest meet to date is growing closer – the Big Ten Championships take place Nov. 1.
(10/19/09 4:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers started Homecoming with a bang Saturday, beginning with the IU cross country teams dominating the Sam Bell Invitational in Bloomington. Bell was in attendance, as well as IU legend Bob Kennedy, who both saw their alma mater finish first.“It was a good opportunity,” junior Sarah Pease said. “We wanted a more relaxed environment this week. Closing hard on the home course sets us up well for regionals.”Freshman Andy Bayer led the men as he picked up his first collegiate victory en route to a team triumph. Following Bayer was sophomore Andrew Poore, who crossed the line with a time of 25:10:43. A non-IU runner wouldn’t finish for another 40 seconds.“Our race plan was to let the girls lead for the 2K,” sophomore Andy Weatherford said. “And it worked for the girls, so we just focused and finished hard.”Senior Wendi Robinson and Pease continued their outstanding seasons, finishing first and second. They were a full 15 seconds in front of the rest of the racers. Sophomore Chelsea Blanchard was next for the Hoosiers, finishing eighth with a time of 22:25:27.“We had kind of a game plan coming in,” Robinson said. “‘Conservative’ would be a good word to group it up. Sarah and I took it, and the two of us separated and got a win on the home course.”
(10/16/09 3:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With the Big Ten tournament looming in the horizon, the IU men’s and women’s cross country must not overlook the Sam Bell Invitational. The Hoosiers have their second meet of the season at the IU Cross Country Course, set to take place at 11 a.m. this Saturday. It is the first time since 2000 that the Invitational has taken place, as Indiana looks to renew a traditional cross country meet that honors former coach Sam Bell. Bell coached the likes of Hoosier legends Bob Kennedy and Kim Betz.“We wanted to add another meet to the schedule because we have such a great course,” IU coach Ron Helmer said. “We are avoiding the Pre-Nationals this week because a lot of people go into that meet chasing at large points and you focus on racing instead of training. We wanted to concentrate ourselves on training while having a good opportunity to test ourselves.”The women are led by last week’s Big Ten Player of the Week , senior Wendi Robinson, and another rapidly-improving junior Sarah Pease. The team is looking to have a solid finish in order to get into the top 30 teams in the nation, and running at home will provide a good opportunity on a familiar course.“It’s a home meet and our last before Big Tens,” sophomore Breanne Ehrman said. “It’s our last chance to get out there and run hard and have a good showing.”The men’s team has high expectations as well, after boosting themselves to No. 17 in the national rankings recently. The competition the team will not be facing as tough as competition after beating ranked opponents at the Paul Short Invitational on their way to finishing first overall, but they will need a solid effort regardless.“We’ll just go in like any other meet,” freshman Andy Bayer said. “We can’t expect a win, but if we race like every other meet, race hard and work together, we will pull out a win.”
(10/09/09 4:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Gaining confidence in strides, the IU men’s and women’s cross country teams are vaulting themselves both into the national rankings and earning Big Ten accolades. The Hoosier men skyrocketed to No. 17 in USTFCCCA national rankings this week after beating ranked opponents Iona and North Carolina State at the Paul Short Invitational last weekend. The women are also gaining coaches’ votes in the polls, receiving eight this week, and are looking to crack the top 30. Also, for the third week in a row, a Hoosier has nabbed Big Ten Player of the Week honors. This time, a pair of Hoosiers, for the second time in IU’s history, earned the award.Senior Wendi Robinson collected the award for the women’s team this week after her fourth place finish at the Paul Short Invitational. It was the first time a Hoosier woman had taken home the honor since Jessica Gall on Sept. 21, 2004.“Its one of those things where its nice to see that the hard work I’ve put it got recognition,” Robinson said. Joining Robinson this week was freshman Andy Bayer, whose third-place performance paced the IU men to a first place title at the meet. The only other time Indiana has had both a male and female runner earn the honor was during that same week in 2004 when former Hoosier Sean Jefferson coupled with Gall.“I felt really good about it,” Bayer said. “It reflects all of us training really well together and it worked out really well. I don’t think we want to change a whole lot, but we’re still looking for more to shoot for this year. We’re not taking anything for granted. We have work to do but we’ll take it from here.”Previously, sophomore Andrew Poore had received Big Ten Player of the Week for his second-place finish at the Indiana Intercollegiates on Sept. 18. The first week of the season, freshman Zach Mayhew also took home the award as a result of his first collegiate race, where he finished first at the Indiana Open.“For the third meet in a row, we have had a guy earn the weekly award, and it has been three different runners,” IU coach Ron Helmer said in a press release. “I think that speaks to where we are as a team, and it is a place where we want to be. It is great that Wendi has been honored for a great run at the Paul Short Invitational. You can have an outstanding career and never be honored with a weekly award. It is good to see her get the nod.”With the Big Ten championships looming Nov. 1, the Hoosiers look to gain momentum when they line up to the tape a week from Saturday at the Sam Bell Invitational, set to take place in Bloomington.“It’s awesome to see that IU has gotten some recognition and we can make some noise at the Big Ten meet,” Robinson said.
(10/05/09 2:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU cross country team put themselves on the national map this weekend at the Paul Short Memorial Invitational in Bethlehem, Pa. The men’s team knocked off ranked opponents such as Iona, NC State and Princeton on their way to capturing the meet title. The women had an impressive showing as well, finishing third.“It gives us a better evaluation relative to the work we’ve been doing.” IU coach Ron Helmer said. “They validated they were good for the team. It’s on us to prepare for the championship season.”The men were paced by freshman Andy Bayer, who crossed the line third overall with a time of 23:42. “We ended up beating Iona, and they were a national runner up last year,” Bayer said. “We had our top-6 finish really close. It was really sweet.”Bayer was followed by sophomore Andrew Poore, freshman Zach Mayhew and junior Cole Hardacre. They finished in sixth, seventh and eighth places, respectively.For the women’s cross country team, graduate student Wendi Robinson finished fourth with a time of 20:04. Junior Sarah Pease and sophomore Chelsea Blanchard both ended up in the top 20 as well, finishing at 12th and 19th overall.“People ran well, but we can still do a little better,” Robinson said. “I thought it was a step in the right direction. This meet is a good indicator that we’ll be performing well at the end.”
(10/02/09 4:25am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After thrashing the competition the past few meets, the IU cross country teams are met with their biggest test in their young season Friday in Bethlehem. Pa. The Paul Short Invitational brings in several ranked opponents for the Hoosiers.“You know, it’s October, and it’s time for us to start testing ourselves even more.” IU coach Ron Helmer said. “It’s at Lehigh University, which is a great, great course and good test for us on a course we sort of know, so the results will be meaningful.”The men will be in full force after sitting a few starters the first few meets. They will need to be as they take on 42 schools, including ranked teams such as No. 7 Iona, No. 19 North Carolina State and No. 30 Princeton.“We didn’t do a huge, intense workout Tuesday like usual,” junior Cole Hardacre said. “We wanted to make sure we could be recovered for this race. It’s a pretty big meet, but with the team we have assembled here, I think we should think about the win and give it our best, then take the positives.”The women will also be racing their top starters together for the first time and will be facing 41 teams in the meet. The biggest competition facing the Hoosiers will be two top-5 teams: No. 4 West Virginia and No. 5 Villanova.“We’re ready to go.” senior Wendi Robinson said. “There’s some good teams that are going to be here, hopefully it sets us up for good races as we progress into the season.”
(09/30/09 3:31pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Since cross country was introduced to IU in 1910, the Hoosiers have run a clean, storied program over the last 99 years.
IU has been a top-tier program for nearly a century. They have captured
the Big Ten Championship 16 total times, 14 for the men and 2 for the
women, as well as men’s national championships in 1938, 1940 and 1942.
Five Hoosiers have also been crowned individual national champions – 3
men and 2 women. The three individual men’s championships put them in
an elite class, being the only Big Ten team to accomplish the feat, and
just one of four teams in the country to do so.
The women are also a historical powerhouse, as their 2 individual
champions are the only team in the Big Ten to do that, as well.
“The first-ever NCAA National championship which Indiana won, two
individual champions that we’ve had ... all those things are on my mind
and the mind of our kids, but certainly focusing on those things can’t
be what we do,” IU coach Ron Helmer said. “Focus on today and focus on
tomorrow in our attempt to position ourselves to take our place in
Indiana University cross-country history.”
Cross country started off small at Indiana, when there were only 1,012 students attending the Bloomington campus.
When enrollment tripled by 1930 to 3,560 students, extracurricular
activities and athletics took off. This spawned a growing interest in
running that translated to a span from 1928 to 1938 when the Hoosiers
took every Big Ten championship back to Bloomington. The ’38, ’40 and
’42 seasons saw NCAA National Championships under the direction of
coach E.C. “Billy” Hayes.
Hayes is the current namesake for IU’s Billy Hayes Track.
From 1946 to 1980, the Hoosiers enjoyed five more Big Ten
championships, and in 1981, the NCAA officially recognized the Indiana
women’s cross country team as a sport.
It didn’t take long for the women to put their program on the national map – in 1987 Kim Betz won the NCAA individual title.
Around that time, perhaps the most recognizable Hoosier runner of the
time, Bob Kennedy, emerged onto the scene. He and Michelle Dekkers took
home NCAA titles in 1988. Kennedy would go on to win the individual
NCAA title once again in 1992, as well as breaking the All-time record
on IU’s course.
The record still stands to this day.
Kennedy was also an Olympian, participating in the 1992 Barcelona games and the 1996 Atlanta games.
More recently, the Hoosiers have reemerged onto the national spotlight once again.
Jordan Kyle became the first freshmen All-American in 2006 since
Kennedy, and only the third to do so in program history. Wendi Robinson
also earned All-American accolades for her performance at the 2008 NCAA
cross country meet, becoming only the seventh All-American for the
women’s team.
“Our goal is to get our team together to get back to nationals,” junior
Sarah Pease said. “It would really meaningful to join the crowd of IU
cross country runners who have become All-Americans.”
A storied program in tradition and excellence, the Indiana cross country team is reminded of the past but always looks forward.
“That’s definitely important to me and everyone else on the team,”
junior Ben Hubers said. “I really look up to Bob Kennedy. It’s my goal
and everyone else’s to make our place in history and achieve what
they’ve achieved and more so we can make our place in history.”
(09/30/09 3:14pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With Big Ten competition slowly creeping up on the men’s and women’s cross country teams, adrenaline begins to rise and nerves dwindle. Both teams are off to solid starts with a promising opening meet at the Indiana Open, in which the Hoosiers sat most of their starters. The success carried on for both teams during the weekend of Sept. 18 with first-place finishes against many area schools in the Indiana Intercollegiate. This has been a direct result of the offseason regiment and year-round training implemented by coach Ron Helmer.“It sounds like a ‘duh,’ but we’re also training for May and June,” Helmer said. “We want to knock off some mileage and hope we can pull back a bit before championship season so our legs can catch up.”The women’s team has high hopes and expectations to capture the Big Ten title, but several tough teams stand in their way. Returning champion Minnesota is currently No. 8 in the country, with Illinois closely following at No. 10. No. 17 Michigan State and No. 19 Michigan round out the top 25 Big Ten teams. However, the women have several weapons to combat the juggernauts. Senior Wendi Robinson returns from her All-American season looking to return to championship form alongside fellow former All-American Sarah Pease.“Last year Sarah and Wendi were strong, and people here were getting adjusted to coach,” sophomore Chelsea Blanchard said. “We have more volume and numbers now. Myself, I want to contribute to help Wendi and Sarah get better, but I want a little more responsibility.”A new name to look out for is senior track import Molly Beckwith, who in outdoor track last year ran the nation’s third-fastest 800-meter race.In addition to Beckwith, Blanchard and freshmen Samantha Ginther and Arianne Raby are expected to step up. On the men’s side, Indiana looks to turn their Great Lakes Regional No. 6 ranking into their first team Big Ten championship since 1980.The pieces seem to be in place with the way the team has started the season. Sophomore Andrew Poore of Indianapolis garnered Big Ten Player of the Week honors after his second-place finish at the Indiana Intercollegiate, just one week after teammate Zach Mayhew, a freshman, took the award home. The Hoosiers will look for second team All-Big Ten sophomore Cole Hardacre for leadership, as well as sophomore De’Sean Turner, who took home second in the Big Ten steeplechase last track season.Standing in IU’s way in the Big Ten is returning champion Wisconsin, who is No. 4 nationally. Michigan and Minnesota, who placed second and third last year at the Big Ten Championships, also come into the season as No. 22 and No. 17, respectively.“Personally, I want to make a positive impact on the team,” Turner said. “I want to go for the win at Big Tens, but more so to be prepared for the race nationally.”
(09/21/09 4:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With lofty expectations looming over the Indiana cross country team, the men’s and women’s teams both prevailed with first-place finishes Saturday at the Indiana Intercollegiate. “I was really happy with the way they ran,” IU coach Ron Helmer said. “They ran as a pack, consistent throughout the race.”The women had hoped to knock off returning champion and rival Purdue, and they achieved their goal. Senior standout Wendi Robinson led the pack with an overall second-place performance, just four seconds behind the meet leader. Robinson was followed by junior Sarah Pease at fourth and sophomore Chelsea Blanchard at sixth with a time of 18:01.The men followed with an equally impressive performance. Sophomore Andrew Poore led the way for the Hoosiers with a time of 24:46 and a second place finish. The rest of the Hoosiers’ squad took third-, fourth-, fifth- and sixth-place finishes.Now, the teams have their sights set on the Paul Short Invitational in two weeks, set to take place at the University of Pennsylvania.
(09/18/09 4:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Members of the Indiana men’s and women’s cross country teams hope to fare well this weekend at the Indiana Intercollegiate, set to take place Friday in Terre Haute.The Hoosiers benefit from running a familiar course, as the La Vern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course is where NCAA Nationals and high school state meets take place.“It’s a place you need to run fast,” IU coach Ron Helmer said. “It’s not as difficult as ours, a little bit flatter, but every time you come up you have to come back down. It’s what I like about cross country, it’s always something new.”The women come in as the highest-ranked team in the meet and will have their sights set on knocking off returning champion Purdue. Unlike at the Indiana Open, the Hoosiers look to work in more starting runners, leaving possibly one or two out of the race. However, just as last week proved, the younger women have the ability to step up for the team. Senior Molly Beckwith, normally a star sprinter for the Indiana track and field team, is eyeing her first meet of the season and just the second of her career.“I look to be consistent throughout the race,” Beckwith said. “I really don’t know what group I’ll be close to, so I’ll probably pick someone and hold on for dear life.”As for the men, Helmer looks to work in a few more of his top runners this race as well. Butler seems to be the team to beat as the highest-ranked in the field, but Purdue and Indiana State are not to be overlooked.“We have a little rivalry with ISU,” sophomore Andrew Poore said. “We raced against each other in high school, and most of us know each other. It is definitely one of the most fun, relaxed races, and good for our families because it is so close.”
(09/14/09 3:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Despite low numbers and a conservative approach to the meet, the IU men’s and women’s cross country teams looked solid Saturday morning at the Indiana Open. “It was good,” IU coach Ron Helmer said. “You never know, because in a relaxed racing environment you don’t know who’s going to ratchet things up.”The women raced more starters than the men, with Chelsea Blanchard being the first to cross the line with a time of 18:46.57. Freshmen fared well at the meet, too, as Lyndsey Wall and Samantha Ginther posted solid times. The men sat their usual five starters, including stars De’Sean Turner and Cole Hardacre, but the rest of the team filled in well.Redshirt freshman Zach Mayhew finished first with a time of 25:31.96 to lead the Hoosiers, with Andy Weatherford coming in a close second at 25:34.05. “The guys are scary,” Helmer said. “The potential of these guys is high. We have some big-time athletes, and they perform very well.”
(09/11/09 4:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a rigorous offseason workout regimen, the IU men’s and women’s cross country teams look to put their training to the test this weekend at the Indiana Open. The meet takes place at the IU Cross Country Course this Saturday with the women taking off at 9:30 a.m. and the men following. “It’ll be fun to put a uniform on for the young guys,” IU coach Ron Helmersaid said. “We want to be better than we’ve been and reflect our training. It was difficult for us to train at a high level as youth, but now we are more mature.” The women’s team is highlighted by senior Wendi Robinson, who achieved All-American status last year at the 2008 NCAA Cross Country Nationals, finishing 28th in a field of 252 runners. Fellow All-American Sarah Pease is looking to have a breakout year after achieving her status with a seventh place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase for the IU track and field team. Helmer also has high hopes for his underclassmen, including freshmen newcomers Arianne Raby and Samantha Ginther as well as sophomore Chelsea Blanchard,who was an integral part of the team last year. “Last year Sarah and Wendi were strong, and people here were getting adjusted,” Blanchard said. “Now we finally have people who are going to step up. It’s going to be good.” High expectations await the men’s team as well, who spent much of last year in the top 25. Former second team All-Big Ten junior Cole Hardacre will play a large role this season and the more experienced team will follow suit. Warren Central product De’Sean Turner will be expected to play a large role as well as junior Ben Hubers. “Ben ought to be ready to run on a high level and De’Sean had a good summer,” Helmer said.Newcomers Andy Bayer and Zach Mayhew will be called upon to step up after their summer performances, as well. Both Hoosier teams look to make some noise both in the Big Ten and at Nationals this year, but this weekend they look to kick off the dust.“It’s a good gauge for some of the young guys to start it off,” junior Jacob Laird said. “It’s more for them.”
(03/12/09 3:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosier men’s and women’s basketball teams aren’t the only ones who get to suit up at Assembly Hall this year. Thursday marks the Recreational Sports Intramural Championships for the Division I men’s, women’s and co-ed teams, which will play on Branch McCracken Court.Perennial champion UMAD will be seeking a “three-peat” in Men’s Division I and were undefeated throughout the regular season and playoffs. They will face another undefeated team, 574. The Women’s Division I matchup will pit the Gypsy Ladies against The Lushes. The Gypsy Ladies coasted through the regular season but only won their quarterfinals game by one point. The Lushes won three games in a row to vault them into the championship game.Both co-ed Division I teams went undefeated in the regular season, but have fared far differently in the postseason. Whistletips has been involved in heated games throughout the playoffs, winning its semifinal game by three points and quarterfinal game by just one. The Monstars overpowered opponents by an impressive 24-point average in their playoff run. Regardless of their scoring margins, both teams have earned a spot to play at “The Hall.”
(02/18/09 5:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After roller-coaster careers, three seniors will skate at Franklin Southern Ice Arena for the last time as Hoosiers on Friday night against Kentucky.Dan Keeney, Adam Fishbein and Keith Koorsen will be competing in their last home game and will be honored in a ceremony before the first puck of the Senior Night match is dropped.Festivities for Senior Night will begin with at 7 p.m. hog roast and will include a 25-person band ensemble taken from the IU Marching Hundred.IU hasn’t had the caliber of season as it has become accustomed to in recent years, tallying a 13-15 record. But coach Tom Orr said he hopes his Hoosiers peak at the right time and make a second straight appearance in the AHCA Division II National Championship.“We have a small but impressive group of seniors for senior night,” Orr said. “We focus on being in shape and set our training plan out so they aren’t too worn out. We have this cultured into our staff – while other teams want the season to end at this point, we want this part of the season to get started.”The Hoosiers have played a tough schedule in preparation for a long postseason, which has worked well for them in recent years.Last season, the team made what the players called a “Cinderella run” through the tournament that ended with a 5-2 loss in the championship game against conference-rival Davenport.“Last year was the top hockey experience in my life,” Keeney said. “We started clicking, and everyone came together. I think we have a similar makeup from last year, and we are definitely a team that can play with anyone in the country. The good thing about the tournament is that nothing matters from the season.”Keeney was much praised by his coach.“Dan is an exciting fan favorite that we will miss,” Orr said. “He has great hands and pulls off SportsCenter-like highlights, as he always matches up with great players.”Keeney currently leads the team in total points – a combination of assists and goals – with 27. Another senior being honored this weekend is Koorsen, a pass-first forward who has as many assists as goals this season at seven.“Keith is a great team player who is very scrappy,” Orr said. “You can always count on him to set people up and make plays.”The final senior being honored is Fishbein, whom his temmates selected as captain at the beginning of the year. Fishbein has not disappointed them with eight goals and 14 assists.Orr said the nod Fishbein received from his teammates was a great honor.“It means a lot to be voted captain and get empowerment from them,” explained Orr. “He has always handled himself well and is always pushing himself to better the team. You can’t have enough guys like that.”Fishbein explained his strategy for the final postseason push as trying “to lead through actions, displaying what I do on the ice and get the team to contribute their efforts as well.”The Hoosiers will need their captain to push them through the most tumultuous point of their schedule to date if they are to seek a repeat performance from last season.“We can win or lose any game by a small margin,” Orr said, “but teams definitely don’t want to see us late in their schedule.”