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(12/08/05 4:29am)
The IU men's cross country team entered the season with plans for national prominence, but ended it injured and unsatisfied.\nThe team returned the majority of its core members from 2004's 18th-place finish, including perennial stars Sean and John Jefferson. Also, the 2005 track season saw senior Stephen Haas emerge as a dangerous distance threat, grabbing several All-American awards in both indoor and outdoor track, which gave IU three All-Americans at the start of the short cross country season. Seasoned veterans Eric Redman and Charlie Koeppen were set to complete a top five comprised entirely of fifth-year seniors - a team primed to make a national impression.\nJohn Jefferson said he was convinced of IU's strong potential before the season began.\n"Things really look good for us," the senior All-American said before the season began. "With Sean and I ready to roll, and (Haas) improving, we think we can make a run at a top-10 finish."\nEarly-season meets like the Indiana Intercollegiates and the Loyola Lakefront Invitational were used to give younger members of the team - most of them redshirt freshmen - much-needed experience. While the Jeffersons and Haas took the time to build up strength with 90-mile training weeks, IU's youngsters, including true freshman Tim McLeod and redshirt-freshmen Mark Fruin, Chris Honig and Brian Sullivan took care of the low-key races.\nWhen IU's front-running trio of All-Americans returned to the mix at the Pre-NCAA Invitational, it seemed as if things were beginning to come together as planned. Though the team's eighth-place finish wasn't as high as the members had hoped, it remained encouraging.\n"We just had to get a race under our belts before the championship season starts with Big Tens," said Haas, who finished the race side-by-side with John Jefferson. \nThe 20-day championship portion of the season began at the Big Ten Championships at the University of Minnesota. The meet served as the first time top-ranked Wisconsin raced together as a team. The Badgers dominated, winning the meet just one point short of a perfect score. The one runner to disrupt their perfection was Sean Jefferson, who finished fifth after moving up in the latter stages of the race. \n"I felt great at Big Tens," Sean Jefferson said. "It really showed me that I could run with almost anybody at NCAAs."\nJust before the race, however, two Hoosiers, John Jefferson and Tim McLeod, had their seasons ended early because of injuries. As a result, IU barely qualified for the NCAA Championships, finishing sixth at the Great Lakes Regional meet on its home course - with Hoosier hopes of a top-10 finish effectively dashed. \nAt the NCAA's, John Jefferson raced back and forth across the course's sidelines to cheer his twin brother on in his final cross country race in an IU jersey. With his mother in from Delray Beach, Fla., to watch him compete, Sean Jefferson pulled off his third straight All-American finish, taking 24th with a time of 30:09. After the race, in which the team finished 29th overall, Sean Jefferson reflected on his career and the state of the program.\n"When John and I came here, we wanted to bring IU distance running back to national prominence," he said. "So many Olympians have run for IU that we just hoped to be able to add to that legacy. It's kind of sad finishing cross country, because it's really the only way a runner ever feels like he's part of a team for anything longer than a 10-minute relay race. But at the same time, I'm proud to have gone out on a high note."\nIn the Jeffersons' era, IU qualified as a team for the NCAA cross country meet four straight times, a feat not accomplished at IU since 1959.
(11/21/05 4:48pm)
Monday's NCAA Cross Country Championships mark the end of an era in IU men's cross country. \nThe race, set to begin at noon in Terre Haute, will be the final collegiate cross country race for the athletes who spearheaded IU's return to national prominence. For seniors Sean Jefferson, Stephen Haas, Eric Redman and Charlie Koeppen, toeing the line will bring both a hint of sadness and a rush of exhilaration.\n"The meet will be special for us because it's the last time we'll wear the Indiana jersey for a team competition," Jefferson said. "The most important thing is having a race that we can look back on and know we really ran our best in our final race as a Hoosier."\nFor these four, distance running is more than a sport. Training has become more of a way of life and the journey has been spotted with injuries, adversity and success, they said.\n"I've been running cross country for the past 12 years, and I've put so much hard work into this sport," Jefferson said. "The main goal for NCAAs is to put in a performance I can be proud of and say I finished my career on a high note."\nThis will be IU's fourth-straight team appearance at NCAAs. In 2004's appearance, the Hoosiers finished 18th overall. Jefferson earned his third All-American award after crossing the line first for IU in 34th position. This year, Jefferson finished third at the Great Lakes Regional and has been joined at the front of the pack often by Haas, who finished 17th at the Regional. The Hoosiers will rely on Jefferson and Haas to lead the team, while Redman and Koeppen will hope to pace junior Marcus Aguilar in a tight group to round out IU's scoring. Freshmen Brennon Plotner and Chris Honig will also compete.\n"It'll be good for the young guys to get that experience," Haas said. "They're the ones that are going to have to lead a team to NCAAs in future years."\nMonday's race will be the fourth for all four of IU's seniors. Unfortunately, a fifth senior, John Jefferson, who was pegged as IU's No. 2 runner, will miss the final meet due to a stress fracture.\n"There will be no more experienced or battle-tested group than what we are going to the line with," assistant coach Nathan Gooden said. "I would hesitate to put any limitations on what these guys can do, they will compete to the best of their capabilities."\nBy 1 p.m. Monday, IU's seniors will have closed out their collegiate cross country careers. While track season remains, the team aspects of cross country make it unique.\n"We still have more races this year in track, but that's more or less an individual sport," said Sean Jefferson. "Running for your team is different. There's really nothing like it"
(11/14/05 5:42am)
The IU men's cross country team tried to make the most of its opportunity at the Great Lakes Regional Saturday, finishing sixth at home with a final score of 172. \nWith senior All-American John Jefferson and freshman Tim McLeod sidelined with stress fractures, the Hoosiers did everything in their power to advance to Monday's NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, assistant coach Nathan Gooden said. \n"On Saturday we challenged five people to run tough," he said. "All of our athletes responded."\nIU was led by Jefferson, who coasted to the finish line third overall alongside Notre Dame junior Kurt Benninger in 31:07.\nThe 10,000-meter race was won by Ohio State senior Brian Olinger in 30:51. The race was controlled by leaders Wisconsin and Notre Dame, each of whom placed the bulk of their athletes in the top 20.\n"I just wanted to stay close to the top five and finish as high as I could to help the team reach nationals," Jefferson said. "This is a pretty tough course compared to most in the country and the coaches wanted us to keep it under control early."\nThe race was the first 10K run of the season. IU's course is packed with hills and uneven terrain, and Jefferson said running at home was a valuable advantage.\n"We run this course four or five times a week, so we know it better than anybody else," Jefferson said. "We know what it takes to do well here."\nSenior Stephen Haas, who has been bothered recently by minor injuries, finished second for IU in 17th. Senior Eric Redman followed him at 31st. Rounding out IU's scoring were junior Marcus Aguilar in 44th and senior Charlie Koeppen in 77th. Redshirt freshmen Brennon Plotner and Chris Honig also competed for IU. \nThe Hoosiers will find out officially whether they qualify for the NCAAs Monday evening when at-large selections are announced. Only the top two teams at each Regional meet automatically advance to the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute Nov. 21. \nRegardless of whether the team qualifies, Sean Jefferson will be on the startling line at NCAA competition based on his third-place finish. He will attempt to become one of IU's only three-time cross country All-Americans.\n"Sean knows what he has to do," said IU alumnus Chris Powers, a former cross country All-American. "It's NCAAs. Sean always runs his best when it matters most"
(11/11/05 5:04am)
The injury bug dealt the men's cross country team a tough hand this week. \nAfter showing steady improvement and growing team cohesion, two key runners were diagnosed with season-ending injuries. Senior All-American John Jefferson, who has been plagued by injuries throughout his cross country career and freshman Tim McLeod, who put up promising performances early in the season, have both incurred stress fractures. Neither will compete Saturday on IU's home course in the Great Lakes Regional, the final meet prior to the NCAA Championships.\n"Tim found out he was hurt the week before Big Tens," sophomore Charlie Keating said. "John didn't know until the day of the meet."\nWhile the squad remains optimistic about its chances of advancing to the NCAA Championships at Saturday's Great Lakes Regional, the losses of Jefferson and McLeod make IU less formidable, volunteer assistant coach Nathan Gooden said.\n"We've definitely dropped a cylinder without those guys," he said. "We need the other guys to step up and provide that extra horsepower to help us qualify."\nTo pick up the slack, IU will rely on seniors Charlie Koeppen and Eric Redman. \n"We're focusing on doing whatever it takes to get to NCAAs," said Jefferson. "We probably have to finish in the top five or six for the team to qualify."\nThere are two ways to qualify for the NCAA Championships. One is to finish first or second at the regional meet. The other is to earn an at-large bid. The Great Lakes Regional typically sends a large number of teams to the meet on an at-large basis.\n"We need a solid performance to solidify our NCAA bid," said Gooden. "If these guys compete and run to their abilities, we won't have to worry about how any other team performs."\nIf IU fails to qualify as a team, individuals can still qualify for the meet based either on their placing at Regionals or by selection on an at-large basis. Jefferson said having the meet at home will tremendously help the Hoosiers battling for these spots. \n"Having the meet at home is a huge advantage," said Jefferson. "We run on that course all the time, so we know it better than anyone else in the country."\nWhether the Hoosiers qualify as a team or as individuals, qualifiers will compete just nine days later Nov. 21 at the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute.
(11/02/05 4:49am)
Five years ago this month, Sean Jefferson, along with twin brother John, decided to run for the Hoosier cross country team. At the time, they had solid personal bests and elite credentials in both cross country and track. Sean was a multiple-time Florida state champion in the 3,200-meter and set the state record for the event. Despite this success, Sean's cross country abilities were less clear.\nSince his arrival at IU, Sean Jefferson has set an IU freshman record in the 5,000-meters with a time of 13 minutes, 58 seconds, earned three All-American awards and won an NCAA mile title. In addition, Jefferson made his presence known at the NCAA's highest level with a convincing mile victory at the 2004 Indoor Track and Field Championships, finishing in 4:00.2. \nThe following cross country season, Jefferson scored another All-American award, this time finishing 34th. During the 2005 indoor season, Jefferson added to IU and NCAA track history by winning Notre Dame's Meyo Invitational Mile in a school-record time of 3:56. John follwed closely, finishing in 3:57. The pair became the first twins in NCAA history to run under 4:00 in the mile in the same race. The feat inspired the entire track team.\n"In the last lap, we thought we could break four," John said. "Sean was up ahead hammering, and I just kept trying to chase him. We've been running together forever, so it was great to break four minutes together."\nSenior All-American Stephen Haas said he thinks the title has helped the reputation of IU's program.\n"A national title will bring any team to national prominence," Haas said. "But I think Sean does more than that for us. He sets a very high standard that everyone on the team can take notice and learn from. He is very driven."\nAt the 2005 Pre-NCAA meet -- his season debut -- Sean finished 16th, especially impressive considering his abbreviated training schedule after finishing track competition in Europe in late July. Typically athletes will take a full summer to prepare for cross country -- Sean only had eight weeks. \n"I came to IU because I wanted to help develop this program into one of the best teams in the country," Sean said. "I wanted to make a difference here and help this team get back to the national spotlight. And I feel like we've done very well as a team since I have been here, but there is still more to accomplish, and that's what this year is for."\nJust more than three weeks remain in Jefferson's collegiate cross country career. This past weekend, he was the only runner to break up No. 2 Wisconsin's top eight runners, finishing fifth. \n"I want to finish in the top 15 at the NCAA Championships," Sean said. "I will do whatever I can to help the team finish as high as possible and accomplish our goals. This cross season is about finding out how good I can be"
(09/30/05 5:05am)
The No. 19 IU men's cross country team is back in action this weekend as it heads to Chicago for Saturday's Loyola Lakefront Invitational. The meet comes on the heels of IU's first defeat in five years at the Indiana Intercollegiates.\n"Hopefully the younger guys can build some more confidence over 8,000 meters," senior Sean Jefferson said. "These early meets are obviously tune-ups, but they're important for some of the guys that haven't raced 8K many times."\nJefferson, his twin brother senior John Jefferson and senior Stephen Haas will not compete in the race, opting instead to continue to train for the championship part of the season. The trio might open in two weeks at the Pre-NCAA Invitational in Terre Haute, but only if its training indicates they are ready to race. \n"We're still training, getting back to speed after the long track season," Haas said. "We're going to be ready when it counts."\nAt Loyola, IU's supporting cast will again have the chance to step up. Senior Eric Redman, who finished in second place at the Intercollegiates, will lead a squad of young runners against teams from around the Midwest. \n"Redman's still logging high miles, but he's in pretty good shape so he's racing to keep his fitness up and gauge how well training has been going," Jefferson said. "Hopefully some of the younger guys will be able to finish strong."\nJoining Redman will be redshirt sophomores Brian Sullivan, Mark Fruin, Ryan Dixon, Brennon Plotner, Chris Honig, Charlie Keating and Marcus Aguilar, as well as freshman Tim McLeod. \n"McLeod ran well at Intercollegiates, especially since it was his first real collegiate 8K race," former IU All-American Chris Powers said. "That's a really good sign for the team because freshmen get increasingly better with each race."\nLooking ahead, IU's next meet is the Pre-NCAA Invitational, followed by the championship season, which includes the Big Ten Championships and the NCAA \nChampionships.
(09/19/05 5:13am)
IU missed winning its fourth straight Indiana Intercollegiates title Friday evening at the IU cross country course as in-state rival Indiana State University took home the title with 41 points. The Hoosiers finished second with 63 points. \n"We are pretty happy with the way we ran today," freshman Ryan Dixon said. "It is early in the season, (and) our goal is to do well in November (at the NCAA Championships). It felt good to get out there and race competitively for the first time."\nSenior Eric Redman was IU's highest placer, rallying over the last 500 meters from third place to finish second overall in 25 minutes, 20 seconds. Redman was just eight seconds back from individual winner Sean Bowman of Indiana State.\nRedshirt freshman Brian Sullivan was IU's second finisher, crossing the line in 25:46, good enough for ninth place. True freshman Tim McLeod was next for IU, finishing 15th in 25:57. Junior Marcus Aguilar and redshirt freshman Mark Fruin rounded out IU's scoring, with times of 26:02 and 26:03, respectively.\nHoosier All-Americans redshirt seniors Sean and John Jefferson and Stephen Haas sat the meet out, opting to continue to build strength after a long outdoor track season. The trio might make their season debut in four weeks at the Pre-NCAA meet in Terre Haute, Ind. \n"We know our goal is November," said John Jefferson. "We did a workout earlier today where we ran a quick tempo for twice the distance of the race, and it went well, so we're coming along pretty well."\nThe Jefferson twins watched the race as spectators, while Haas drove the cart leading competitors through the crowd.\n"We're still figuring out who's going to be in our final top seven," Haas said. "Right now, besides Redman, it's totally up in the air."\nFortunately for IU, there is plenty of time to determine which cast will provide the best chance at a high finish in the NCAA Championships.
(09/16/05 5:22am)
The men's cross country team will officially open its competitive season with the Indiana Intercollegiates held at 3:30 p.m. today at the IU Cross Country course. The meet has traditionally served as IU's first meet of the season, and typically provides low-key preparation for the team's supporting runners.\n"This race will be a good one to watch to see how the younger guys are coming along in their training," said senior All-American Sean Jefferson. "They're going to need to step up in this race and show the rest of the team what kind of shape they're in."\nIU has won the meet the past four years, often treating the race as an up-tempo workout, sweeping the top spots each year. \nThis year, the Hoosiers will expect the supporting cast to carry the load. After an outdoor track season that extended into late July, IU's top three runners, seniors Sean and John Jefferson and senior All-American Stephen Haas, remain in a strength-building phase. \n"We're just getting into heavier training," Haas said. "We're going to bump our miles up for a little while longer and keep working hard, focused on November."\nIU will likely race at full strength for the first time at either the Loyola Invitational Oct. 1 or the Pre-NCAAs, scheduled for Oct. 15 in Terre Haute. \nIt is especially important for distance runners to deviate from a training plan as little as possible. While IU's core runners move through their training phases, preparing for the ultimate goal in November, they will keep a close eye on their young teammates. \n"The sophomore class is in pretty good shape so far," Jefferson said. "It's looking like Tim McLeod is going to run as a true freshman."\nIn IU's cross country program, incoming freshmen typically redshirt in favor of building strength and making a smooth transition from high school into the more rigorous collegiate environment. Should McLeod run in uniform, he would be the first to do so since 1999, when former Hoosier Chad Andrews and All-American Chris Powers raced as true freshmen. \n"When we raced as freshmen, the team wasn't nearly as strong as it is today," Powers said. "If McLeod races, it basically means that he has a chance to break into the top seven, a nice achievement considering the guys on that roster"
(08/01/05 3:15pm)
In America, track and field is largely ignored in a non-Olympic year, hiding behind the NFL, NBA, MLB and PGA. American track and field often focuses more on "the human side" than on the actual competition and the athletes. This is even more pronounced in distance running, and frustrates many serious runners and avid fans. \n"Here, the most we get to see, all anybody cares about in a distance race is, at most, the last lap of a race," said IU alumnus Chris Powers, a 2004 All-American.\nAs four Hoosier track athletes discovered, things are different in Europe, where high-profile meets offer the best place to hone skills and prepare for the possibility of a professional career. In faraway foreign locales like Huesden, Belgium, Rieti, Italy and Hengelo, the Netherlands, entire stadiums are devoted to track, and in summer fill with highly knowledgeable fans who pay as much attention, if not more, to distance running as they do to sprinting and jumping.\nFor IU's core distance runners, juniors Sean and John Jefferson, Stephen Haas and senior Tom Burns, racing in a very different environment against some of the world's best was a revelation. \nThe quartet spent several weeks in Belgium building experience they hope will not only benefit them in future collegiate competition, but perhaps propel them to a post-collegiate career. After a long year of racing, the men set their final mileage cycle to conclude in Belgium. \nIn an early tune-up meet in Liege, Belgium, the Jeffersons adapted to European racing in a windy 1,500-meters while Burns raced in the 3,000-meters. Two days prior, Haas set an outdoor personal best in the 3,000-meters, finishing second in a race with a time of 8:02. \n"Races are totally different over here," said Haas, the IU indoor record holder at both 3,000 and 5,000 meters. "Guys continuously surge and slow down and surge again. It's a really hard way to run."\nHaas, who emerged in the 2005 indoor season as a reliable long-distance threat, pulled the Huesden 5,000-meter field through four kilometers before being overtaken and finishing in a five-second outdoor best of 13:43. \nAccording to Burns, who nearly matched his personal best by steeplechasing 8:42 in Huesden, the learning experience was tremendous. Also traveling with IU were Ohio State distance coach Robert Gary, a two-time Olympian in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, and his protégé, top NCAA steeplechaser Brian Olinger. \n"I've really tried to pick Gary's brain," said Burns, twice an NCAA qualifier in the steeplechase. \n"One thing Gary said was that everybody talks about how racing in Europe is a great experience," Haas said. "But that it's never a great experience to get your ass kicked."\nTwin IU milers Sean and John Jefferson made history in 2005, becoming the first twins to break four minutes in the mile in the same race. Both have a legitimate chance at running professionally after graduation. Sean's best European performance came in Huesden with a fourth-place 1,500-meters where he clocked 3:39, one second from his personal best. In the same race, John ran 3:43, near his personal best.\n"I was pretty happy," said Sean, who won the NCAA mile title in 2004. "I've been running track since January, so it's been challenging to stay in racing form."\nBetween races, the group went for runs around a lake near their lodging, exploring neighboring cities and countries, and, above all, ate waffles.\n"The best thing about Belgium is chocolate waffles," said Haas. \nIn all the positive things to come out of the experience, there were a few negatives as well.\n"Belgium is not the place to go for girls," said Burns.\n"Water is more expensive than beer," said Sean Jefferson. "Plus, you have to pay to go to the bathroom."\nOtherwise, cross country begins in less than a month, leaving the team's core, the Jeffersons and Haas, with little free time. In what seems the blink of an eye, summer vacation began and ended.\n"Europe was my summer excitement," said Sean. "We'll start back up for cross (country) very gradually and probably not race for a while"
(06/12/05 11:43pm)
IU has something to boast about at the close of the NCAA Championships -- three prominent All-Americans. After a long, arduous year of indoor and outdoor track, three athletes for IU return from the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento with new All-America awards.\nThe Hoosiers took home their second straight top-25 finish in the Championships with a 19th place finish with 14 points.\nSenior All-American Aarik Wilson, who dominated the indoor meet, winning both the long and triple jump, was hampered somewhat at the end of his senior outdoor campaign by a minor leg injury. Regardless, he pulled through with bronze medals in both events this past weekend, and exhibited the class he has displayed throughout his years at IU. \n"I have to congratulate Fabrice (Lapierre)," said Wilson, who has one season of indoor eligibility remaining. "It was a life-time personal best for him. Obviously I would have liked to have won."\nTwo junior distance runners also provided some excitement for IU. In the 1,500-meter, All-American Sean Jefferson set a lifetime best en route to his seventh place finish. His time of 3 minutes, 38.91 seconds is equivalent to a 3:55 mile, and left him less than a second short of second place. \n"I've wanted to run faster as the season ends," Jefferson said. "After NCAAs there is the USA Championships and then I might get a chance to run in some fast races in Europe."\nJefferson's time moved him to fifth on IU's all-time 1,500-meter list. Three of the marks in front of him were set by Olympians.\nAlso continuing a strong season was junior All-American Stephen Haas, who earned his first outdoor track and third overall All-America award in the 5,000-meter.\n"I'm hoping to run some races in Europe as well," said Haas, who finished with a final time of 14:05, which rates among his five best times. "This year has been great."\nTwo other Hoosiers competed at the NCAA Championships. Senior Jake Wiseman missed clearing a height in the high jump which prevented him from finishing the decathlon. Senior Tom Burns, likely still fatigued from his Regional race two weeks ago, was unable to qualify for the final of the 3,000-meter steeplechase. He will race again in two weeks, along with Wilson, Sean Jefferson, John Jefferson, Haas and David Neville at the USA Track and Field Championships.
(06/09/05 2:19am)
After a long season of facing off against the nation's best, five men's track athletes will spend Wednesday through Saturday competing at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif., at the Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex. \nFor three of these athletes, it will be their final outdoor track competition in an IU uniform. Displaying the grit and determination characteristic of seniors, these athletes have carefully prepared themselves to leave a permanent mark on the track program. \nSenior decathlete Jake Wiseman finished 21st overall at NCAAs last season. This year his runner-up finish at the Big Tens, with a final point total of 7,339, qualified him for the meet. \n"My main goal is to break the school record," said Wiseman, who will need another 400 points to do so. "I feel healthy going into the meet, and I want to get through the last event -- the 1,500 meters -- strong enough to be All-American."\nSenior 3,000 meter steeplechaser Tom Burns is also chasing his first All-America award. He competed at the meet in 2003 and redshirted the 2004 season. At the NCAA MidEast Regional two weeks ago, Burns set a personal best of 8 minutes and 41.14 seconds. After a long year of cross country, indoor and outdoor track, Burns is now rested and ready to challenge the nation's best, he said. \n"Since regionals, training has been great," Burns said. "I nailed my bread and butter workout and felt like I'm right where I need to be so I can try to kick for a title. We set things up perfectly, and if I run my own race and avoid getting sucked into a fast early pace, I'll be there with a lap to go. Then it's just about who can finish."\nSenior All-American Aarik Wilson has already left his mark on the track program. He holds school records indoors and outdoors and has twice finished second in the triple jump at the NCAAs. This past indoor season, he took the NCAA long and triple jump titles. \n"I'm just fine tuning and getting ready to jump far," said Wilson, who suffered a minor injury at the Big Ten Championships. "My injury is coming along fine. My goals haven't changed. I want to win both jumps. The only difference is that now we are outside and I have more to prove."\nJunior All-American Sean Jefferson is also a former NCAA Champ. After winning the 2004 Indoor Mile title, he has remained among the nation's best 1,500 meter runners. \n"I feel like I'm rounding into shape for NCAAs. The 1,500 is stacked this year," said Jefferson, who suffered a mid-foot injury at the end of the 2004 outdoor season. "I'm really looking forward to getting out there and racing those guys. The most important thing is performing at the highest level that I can. If I do that, I'll be satisfied."\nThe final Hoosier competing at NCAAs is junior All-American Stephen Haas in the 5,000 meters. He earned All-America honors in both the 3,000 and 5,000 meters indoors and recently finished second in the nation's toughest distance running \nregion. \n"We've been training great and I got some solid sharpening speedwork this week," said Haas, who showed no signs of fatigue in running 13:58 5,000 meters at the Mideast Regional. "I feel good about the way things are going, more ready to run each week. I look forward to getting in the race and mixing it up at the front."\nResults will be available online at www.iuhoosiers.com.
(06/02/05 12:41am)
IU gave the hometown crowd plenty to be excited about with a strong overall showing of sixth place in the NCAA Mideast Regional Friday and Saturday at the Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex. \nIn the process of finishing in sixth, seniors Aarik Wilson and Tom Burns and juniors Sean Jefferson and Stephen Haas will continue on to the NCAA Championships June 8-11 in Sacramento, Calif. The Hoosiers will also be joined by senior Jake Wiseman in the decathlon. Wiseman qualified for the NCAAs by placing second at the Big Ten Championships.\nWilson, an All-American, was IU's top performer grabbing a victory in the triple jump and a fourth-place finish in the long jump, earning him slots at the NCAAs in both events. Top-five finishers in each event earn a trip to Sacramento.\n"The whole goal of today was to go out and get a good jump in early so I don't have to strain myself with a nagging injury," said Wilson, who won the NCAA indoor long jump and triple jump titles this year. "I'll be ready. I got through this weekend pretty well."\nIU's distance corps came out with runner-up finishes and NCAA berths at every distance contest. The Hoosiers will send All-Americans Jefferson and Haas along with Burns to the NCAA Championships. \nStrong thunderstorms forced NCAA administrators to shift the 5,000 meter final from 8:30 p.m. Friday to 11:20 a.m. Saturday. The change suited Haas just fine, as he determined where he would have to finish based on other NCAA Regional results, he said. \n"After the cancellation we looked at other Regional results and I knew I only had to be top eight," said Haas, who finished second in 13 minutes and 58 seconds, three seconds back to Michigan Olympian Nick Willis. "I felt great. I didn't even start to hurt at all until the last lap."\nNext on the track was the 1,500 meters. The early portion of the race saw two runners build a big lead while Jefferson relaxed in the pack. When the early leader started to fade, Jefferson extricated himself from the crowd and put in a fast final lap. His finishing kick nearly brought him the win and gave him a final time of 3:45.73.\n"The Arkansas guy was just too far ahead," Jefferson said. "It's good to feel the faster gears coming back though. By NCAAs they'll all be ready."\nClosing the meet for IU was Burns in the 3,000 meter steeplechase. After redshirting last season, despite running fast times, Burns came into the race with a lot on the line. He spent much of the early part of the race towards the back of the pack, staying out of traffic before making a quick move into the top five. In the final lap, Burns kicked into high gear closing a huge gap to finish less than three seconds behind the winner finishing in 8:41.14, a personal best and also a USATF qualifying mark.\n"For a little while I was thinking I would just run for top five to get in to NCAAs," said Burns, who this year became the first Hoosier to win the Big Ten steeple since 1987. "I had to elbow a few guys in traffic, and I just decided to try to go for the win. I've had a little bit of hamstring trouble, so I didn't want to go all out, but I almost caught him anyway"
(05/29/05 7:12pm)
IU gave the hometown crowd plenty to be excited about with a strong overall showing of sixth place in the NCAA Mideast Regional Friday and Saturday at the Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex. \nIn the process of finishing in sixth, seniors Aarik Wilson and Tom Burns and juniors Sean Jefferson and Stephen Haas will continue on to the NCAA Championships June 8-11 in Sacramento, Calif. The Hoosiers will also be joined by senior Jake Wiseman in the decathlon. Wiseman qualified for the NCAAs by placing second at the Big Ten Championships.\nWilson, an All-American, was IU's top performer grabbing a victory in the triple jump and a fourth-place finish in the long jump, earning him slots at the NCAA's in both events. Top-five finishers in each event earn a trip to Sacramento.\n"The whole goal of today was to go out and get a good jump in early so I don't have to strain myself with a nagging injury," said Wilson, who won the NCAA indoor long jump and triple jump titles this year. "I'll be ready. I got through this weekend pretty well."\nIU's distance corps came out with runner-up finishes and NCAA berths at every distance contest. The Hoosiers will send All-Americans Jefferson and Haas along with Burns to the NCAA Championships. \nStrong thunderstorms forced NCAA administrators to shift the 5,000 meter final from 8:30 p.m. Friday to 11:20 a.m. Saturday. The change suited Haas just fine, as he determined where he would have to finish based on other NCAA Regional results, he said. \n"After the cancellation we looked at other Regional results and I knew I only had to be top eight," said Haas, who finished 2nd in 13 minutes and 58 seconds, three seconds back to Michigan Olympian Nick Willis. "I felt great. I didn't even start to hurt at all until the last lap."\nNext on the track was the 1,500 meters. The early portion of the race saw two runners build a big lead while Jefferson relaxed in the pack. When the early leader started to fade, Jefferson extricated himself from the crowd and put in a fast final lap. His finishing kick nearly brought him the win and gave him a final time of 3 minutes and 45.73 seconds.\n"The Arkansas guy was just too far ahead," Jefferson said. "It's good to feel the faster gears coming back though. By NCAA's they'll all be ready."\nClosing the meet for IU was Burns in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. After red-shirting last season, despite running fast times, Burns came into the race with a lot on the line. He spent much of the early part of the race towards the back of the pack, staying out of traffic before making a quick move into the top five. In the final lap, Burns kicked into high gear closing a huge gap to finish less than three seconds behind the winner finishing in 8 minutes and 41.14 seconds, a personal best and also a USATF qualifying mark.\n"For a little while I was thinking I would just run for top five to get in to NCAA's," said Burns, who this year became the first Hoosier to win the Big Ten steeple since 1987. "I had to elbow a few guys in traffic, and I just decided to try to go for the win. I've had a little bit of hamstring trouble, so I didn't want to go all out, but I almost caught him anyway"
(05/26/05 3:37am)
With finals completed and school fast becoming a distant memory, the men's track and field team has a few more tasks to deal with before their summer vacation truly begins. \nAfter taking second place overall at the Big Ten Championships two weeks ago, IU's best team finish in 13 years, the Hoosiers welcome a portion of the NCAA's best to IU for the MidEast Regional. Events start at noon on Friday and Saturday and will conclude with the men's 4 X 400 relay at 9 p.m. at the Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex.\n"Having the Regional meet at home will be very exciting," said senior Aarik Wilson, IU's top national threat in the jumping events. "Hopefully it will allow us to get a few more people through to the National meet."\nWilson, who won NCAA titles indoors in both the triple and long jump, will compete in both events. Though he has been hampered recently by minor injuries, Wilson said he has been training hard.\n"I trained through this meet," said Wilson of the Big Ten Championships. "We'll start tapering down pretty soon."\nThe Regional system is a relatively new incarnation to NCAA track and field. Instituted two years ago, the meet serves as the qualifying round to the NCAA Championships. Athletes must either finish in the top five in their event at the Regional or get an at-large bid to NCAA's based on previous season performance. \nIn order to get an at-large bid, however, the athlete must place sixth, seventh or eighth. Only the decathlon and the 10,000 meters are excluded from the Regional, due to their grueling nature. Senior Jake Wiseman, therefore, after qualifying for NCAA's at Big Ten in the decathlon, might compete in the javelin for the Hoosiers. \nPrimed to advance to the NCAAs with a top notch performance on his home track is sophomore All-American David Neville, who will compete in both the 400 meters and 4 X 400 meter relay, but sit out the 200. \n"I'm really looking forward to going and trying to run a fast time here at home in the 400," said Neville, who boasts a season best of 46.20 seconds. "I think having the meet at home will give us the extra boost we need to run fast. We want to show everyone the great team we have here at IU."\nIU's distance corps is also ready to run. After a season of building strength, they have finally gotten some speedwork into their legs, a welcome training shift to runners like twin juniors Sean and John Jefferson who are most comfortable in a finishing kick. \n"At Big Tens I just couldn't shift gears because we hadn't done any speed training," said Sean Jefferson, a four-time All-American. "At Regional, we'll have that speed."\nOther Hoosiers with a good chance of qualifying to the NCAAs include junior Ryan Ketchum, seeded second in the discus, and junior All-American Stephen Haas, seeded seventh in the 5,000 meters. Haas was an All-American in the event at the 2005 NCAA Indoor Championships and should also benefit from recent speedwork.
(05/16/05 7:36pm)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Big Ten Outdoor Track Championships provided plenty of highlights and excitement for Hoosier fans as IU athletes brought home a number of individual titles and a large number of top finishes. The highlights culminated in the men's team finishing second overall with a total score of 111 points, IU's best team finish since 1992. \nThe men's track team enjoyed several standout performances, as well as a couple of double winners. \nThe most exciting finish of the meet came in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, where senior Tom Burns grabbed a surprising victory, running down Ohio State's Aaron Fisher in the final fifty meters for a 2 second victory in a final time of 8 minutes and 45 seconds. \n"I won today because I ran perfect strategically," Burns said. "It wasn't because I ran the fastest or the strongest, it was because I ran smart. It was just great to get the win."\nSenior Aarik Wilson took both the triple and long jump titles, winning handily in both events. Wilson jumped over eight meters in the long jump and was the only competitor over sixteen meters in the triple jump.\n"I've got a little bit of a groin injury," said Wilson after his triple jump victory. "I trained through this meet, so when we start tapering down, it'll be fine."\nSenior Jake Wiseman almost grabbed the victory in the decathlon, finishing 2nd after a grueling weekend with 7,339 points. The mark did however qualify him for the NCAA Championships in Sacramento, Calif. in four weeks. \nJunior Stephanos Ioannou and sophomore All-American David Neville were workhorses for IU. Ioannou finished 3rd in the 110 hurdles, 8th in the 100 meters helping IU to a sixth place finish in the 4 X 100 meter relay. Neville spent the weekend defending his 400 meter dash title easily with a time of 45.83 seconds. He also gave IU two second-place finishes, as he finished 2nd in the 200 meter dash and anchored the 4 X 400 meter relay team home in second place in 3:09. \nJunior All-American Sean Jefferson ran out of track in the 1,500 meters, nearly running down two Wisconsin runners in the final meters to finish third in 3:44. He got a little bit of redemption in the 5,000 meters, finishing 5th. \n"We just haven't done enough speed work yet," said Jefferson, who won the event in 2004. "I don't feel flat or burnt out or anything, we just need to get the speed going. We will though and then we'll really run fast."\nJunior Ryan Ketchum also worked hard for IU, finishing 2nd in the discus and 4th in the shot put. \nOn the women's side, sophomores Stacey Clausing and Lorian Price led IU. Clausing grabbed a convincing victory in the 200 meters, winning in 23.51 seconds. She also finished second in the 400 meters in 53.12 seconds and anchored IU's runner-up 4 X 400 meter relay to a second place finish. Price grabbed a solid victory in the 100 meter hurdles in 13.70 seconds. The women finished 8th overall.
(05/12/05 2:35am)
The men's track team will take its talents to Ohio State this weekend to compete against the conference's best at the Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships Friday through Sunday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. \nIU has solid threats in every category and looks to improve on last year's overall 4th place finish. \nAarik Wilson, who took both the long jump and the triple jump at the 2005 NCAA Indoor Championships, will lead IU. Last year, Wilson was runner-up in triple jump title at the 2004 Outdoor Championships. This year, Wilson has stepped up his long jumping and ranks first in the conference. After taking both titles at the Big Ten Indoor Championships, Wilson could be in position to repeat his indoor feat in the outdoor events despite a slightly sore hamstring.\nIn the sprinting events, IU boasts the conference's best sprinter in sophomore All-American David Neville. Neville has come into top form at the right time in the season, posting his best 200 meter time last weekend. Neville was a surprise winner in the 200 and 400 meters in 2004, defeating a Minnesota duo of Mitch Potter and Adam Steele that finished first and third at the NCAA Championships in 2003. \nBecause of his performance during 2004, Wilson feels he is a marked man, he said. \n"I am definitely ready to defend my titles this weekend," Neville said. "I think it's a great opportunity to show the type of training that I've been doing and I think that both of the races will be equally difficult to win again, but I'll do my best."\nPerhaps the meet's most anticipated event is the 1,500 meters, where twin All-Americans Sean and John Jefferson will once again duel with Michigan's Nick Willis, a 2004 Olympian from New Zealand. The runners have traded off major titles in recent years. In 2003, John won the indoor mile while Willis took the 1,500. In 2004, Willis took the Big Ten mile, while Sean won the NCAA mile and then the Big Ten 1,500. This year, Sean nipped Willis at the line in the Big Ten indoor mile, but Willis took home the NCAA title just ahead of him, while John finished seventh. \n"The Big Ten is just so tough in the 1,500," said junior Eric Redman who ran the 1,500 meters 3 minutes and 47 seconds, equalling to 4 minute and 4 second in the mile. "I could run the best race of my life and finish sixth."\nThe other distance races are also highly anticipated, as they feature numerous All-Americans from Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State and IU. Among the races to watch include the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters, in which junior All-American Stephen Haas will race for the Hoosiers. \n"I don't even know what I'm going to run specifically yet," said Haas, who scored in the event in the 10,000 in 2003. "Depending on how I feel, we'll decide come this weekend." \nJunior Ryan Ketchum, the current Big Ten leader in the discus, will attempt to bring an individual title back to Bloomington. \nThe final event of the meet, however, could be the most exciting. The 4 X 400 meter relay can often be crucial in determining the final team standings. For the first time in years, in part to freshman Doug Dayhoff. \nNeville feels confidence is high for the team going into the race, he said.\n"Right now we're number one in the conference," said Neville. "I believe we can beat anyone."\nUpdated results will be provided throughout the weekend on the Web site www.iuhoosiers.com.
(05/09/05 1:24am)
In its final tune-up in preparation for the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, the men's track team looked sharp in the Billy Hayes Invitational Friday night.\nHighlighting the action were twin All-Americans John and Sean Jefferson in the 1,500 meters. The duo raced in a special section of the 1,500 devoted to fast times. The combination of cool weather and racing underneath the lights brought Jefferson near his personal best. \n"It's always nice to run under the lights," Sean said. "Everything feels faster."\nIU's best distance threats since American 5,000 meter record-holder Bob Kennedy did not disappoint the crowd, crossing the line side-by-side in 3 minutes and 41.64 seconds and 3 minutes and 41.68 seconds. John got the benefit of the photo finish. The marks converted to 3:58 in the mile, propelling the twins into sixth and seventh on the NCAA list.\nSenior Rodney Hollis was next on the highlight board in the 800 meters. Although he already qualified for the Regional in the event, a faster time would only help his starting position. Hollis finished fifth in the race. His final time of 1 minute 49.97 seconds was good for fifth place in the upcoming event.\n"The four by 400 helps a lot for 800-meter speed," said Hollis, who also ran the relay.\nHollis helped the 4x400 meter relay team atone for their near miss of the Regional standard at the Penn Relays. He joined junior Andre Grimes, freshman Doug Dayhoff, and sophomore All-American David Neville in their season-best time of 3 minutes 8.69 seconds, meeting the Regional mark of 3 minutes 10 seconds. \nNeville put on some fireworks of his own, qualifying for the Regional meet in the 200 meters with an easy victory over conference rival Kenneth Baxter of Purdue, winning in 20.9 seconds. \n"My training has gone ridiculously well lately," said Neville, the reigning 200 and 400 meter Big Ten champion. \nAlso improving on his season-best was senior Tom Burns, who posted a two-second victory in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at 8 minutes 53 seconds. Burns will look to take on Ohio State's Aaron Fisher next weekend, as the two are the main threats to win the event. \nJunior Ryan Ketchum put up a solid showing for IU in the throwing events, taking second in the shot put in a season-best 18.10 meters and ninth in the hammer throw with a toss of 52.24 meters. \nOn the women's side, sophomore Stacey Clausing led the Hoosiers, qualifying for the Regional meet individually in the 200 meters with a time of 23.69 seconds in the event. She then anchored the women's 4x400 meter relay, which qualified for the Regional, with a final time of 3:39.76. \nBoth the men's and women's squads will travel to Columbus, Ohio, next weekend to compete in the Big Ten Outdoor Championships.
(05/09/05 1:03am)
In its final tune-up in preparation for the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, the men's track team looked sharp in the Billy Hayes Invitational Friday night.\nHighlighting the action were twin All-Americans John and Sean Jefferson in the 1,500 meters. The duo raced in a special section of the 1,500 devoted to fast times. The combination of cool weather and racing underneath the lights brought Jefferson near his personal best. \n"It's always nice to run under the lights," Sean said. "Everything feels faster."\nIU's best distance threats since American 5,000 meter record-holder Bob Kennedy did not disappoint the crowd, crossing the line side-by-side in 3 minutes and 41.64 seconds and 3 minutes and 41.68 seconds. John got the benefit of the photo finish. The marks converted to 3:58 in the mile, propelling the twins into sixth and seventh on the NCAA list.\nSenior Rodney Hollis was next on the highlight board in the 800 meters. Although he already qualified for the Regional in the event, a faster time would only help his starting position. Hollis finished fifth in the race. His final time of 1 minute 49.97 seconds was good for fifth place in the upcoming event.\n"The four by 400 helps a lot for 800-meter speed," said Hollis, who also ran the relay.\nHollis helped the 4x400 meter relay team atone for their near miss of the Regional standard at the Penn Relays. He joined junior Andre Grimes, freshman Doug Dayhoff, and sophomore All-American David Neville in their season-best time of 3 minutes 8.69 seconds, meeting the Regional mark of 3 minutes 10 seconds. \nNeville put on some fireworks of his own, qualifying for the Regional meet in the 200 meters with an easy victory over conference rival Kenneth Baxter of Purdue, winning in 20.9 seconds. \n"My training has gone ridiculously well lately," said Neville, the reigning 200 and 400 meter Big Ten champion. \nAlso improving on his season-best was senior Tom Burns, who posted a two-second victory in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at 8 minutes 53 seconds. Burns will look to take on Ohio State's Aaron Fisher next weekend, as the two are the main threats to win the event. \nJunior Ryan Ketchum put up a solid showing for IU in the throwing events, taking second in the shot put in a season-best 18.10 meters and ninth in the hammer throw with a toss of 52.24 meters. \nOn the women's side, sophomore Stacey Clausing led the Hoosiers, qualifying for the Regional meet individually in the 200 meters with a time of 23.69 seconds in the event. She then anchored the women's 4x400 meter relay, which qualified for the Regional, with a final time of 3:39.76. \nBoth the men's and women's squads will travel to Columbus, Ohio, next weekend to compete in the Big Ten Outdoor Championships.
(05/06/05 5:36am)
The IU men's track team will close out the school year by hosting one of its only home meets of the season, the Billy Hayes Invitational, today at 4 p.m. The meet serves as final preparation for the Big Ten Championships, set for next weekend at Ohio State. Being only five weeks away from the NCAA Championships, IU has tapered down their training regimes. \n"I feel great," said sophomore All-American David Neville. "My training feels just ridiculously good right now and I'm ready to run fast."\nNeville will take a shot at Regional qualifying marks in both the 200 meter and 4 X 400 meter relay. The team was an agonizing .08 of a second off qualifying for the NCAAs last weekend at the Penn Relays. Neville already qualified for the NCAAs in his signature event, the 400 meter dash. \nDistance races at the Big Ten Championships are often tactical, which produces competitive races but rarely fast times. This meet will provide IU's distance runners a chance to solidify a fast time for NCAA consideration. The runners will have one more time to qualify for the NCAAs at the NCAA Regional at IU May 27-28.\n"We might run the 1,500 this weekend," said junior All-American John Jefferson. "If we do it we'll be to make sure we have a fast enough time to assure that we get into NCAAs regardless of how Regional goes."\nCurrently, John and twin brother Sean sit seventh and eighth in the Regional performance list. The top five finishers at the meet will advance to NCAAs. Although there are no unknown talents in the Region, Sean Jefferson said, a fast time can never hurt when looking for an NCAA bid.\n"If we run Billy Hayes, it will be fast," said Sean, who was runner-up in the mile at the NCAA Indoor Championships. "We'll need to run faster than 3:44 to improve our position, and that's basically like running a sub 4:00 mile"
(05/02/05 5:32am)
On a rainy weekend at America's most prestigious relay meet, the men's track team ignored the weather and put up solid performances across the board.\nIn Thursday's collegiate shot put competition, junior Ryan Ketchum grabbed first place with a 17.97-meter heave, a near-season best.\nFriday brought more glory for IU, though it came from a different state. In Iowa at the Drake Relays, senior Aarik Wilson won the long jump with a leap of 7.77 meters, which was top in the Mideast region and just short of his season best. On Saturday Wilson, competing at Drake because it provided better competition than Penn, grabbed his second Drake championship in the triple jump with a leap of 16.59 meters. \nAlso Friday, the quartet of junior All-American John Jefferson, freshman Doug Dayhoff, senior Rodney Hollis and junior All-American Sean Jefferson finished 10th in the distance medley relay with a time of 9:38. In a race packed with the nation's top teams, IU ran flat.\n"It just wasn't a good day for me, I felt flat," Sean Jefferson said. "Luckily we ran better Saturday."\nIU finished third Saturday in the 4-by-1 mile, bested only by perennial powerhouses Arkansas and Michigan, who set a collegiate and Penn record in the race with its winning time of 16:04. Clocked at 4:01, Sean Jefferson offered IU its fastest leg, followed by John Jefferson at 4:05, Eric Redman at 4:07 and Stephen Haas at 4:10.\n"We were pretty happy with it," Redman said. "We maybe could've run faster time-wise but the conditions didn't allow it."\nThe team's final time of 16:25 ranks fifth on IU's all-time list. \nOne of IU's goals prior to the meet involved its 4-by-400 meter relay team.\n"We need to run fast enough to get our 4-by-400 squad into regionals," said sophomore David Neville, IU's top sprinter.\nIU did everything it could, winning its section of the 4-by-400-meter relay. Unfortunately, the Hoosiers' time was just short of the 3:10 qualifying standard. The Hoosier quartet finished in 3:10.08. Their next shot will be at the Big Ten Championships in two weeks at Ohio State University.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Rob DeWitte at rdewitte@indiana.edu.