Men's team aims for Big Ten title

It's crunch time for both the men's and women's cross country teams while in Madison, Wis., and this weekend's Big Ten Championship could make or break either team. Although this will be the smallest number of teams the Hoosiers have competed against in more than a month, the teams they do encounter will be nationally-ranked.\nThe No. 24 men's team dreams of only the best -- first place. IU has not won a Big Ten championship since 1980, but this year's Hoosiers are confident they have what it takes.\nTheir main contender in the 8K race will be No. 6 Wisconsin, but the team might only need to place in the top three to gain a bid to the NCAA championship. If the Hoosiers do make it to nationals, it will be for the first time in 13 years.\n"We're so fit that we have to go out there and do it," said senior Aaron Gillen, the team's No.1 runner. "We all have the mentality that we can win Big Tens. No one sees any finish other than that."\nThe young team has been looking to this meet as a pivotal point in the season. Four of their five top runners are sophomores who were redshirted last year, and this new blood could be a contributing factor to their success.\nGillen sees men's coach Robert Chapman as another key to the team's solid performances this season.\n"I have to give it to Coach Chapman," Gillen said. "He knows what he's doing. One-hundred percent of why I'm doing good is because of him. Ever since he started coaching I've had fewer injuries and better times."\nWith coaching and personalized training programs, the team has shown a strong sense of unity this season. Sophomore Chris Powers said the team is ready to compete.\n"(Senior) Tom Brooks sent an e-mail to the team," Powers said. "No one's said anything about it in practice, but we've been sending e-mails back and forth. It\'s pretty cool because we're all pumped up. It's there for the taking."\nThe meet holds special significance for Gillen, since it will be his last Big Ten Championship, and he said he expects it to be his best race.\n"Everyone's on a good roll right now," Gillen said. "We\'re all fired up. Now it's a waiting game; we\'re waiting until Sunday."\nOn the women's side, No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 12 Michigan and No. 18 Minnesota will be strong contenders for the top three places. The Hoosiers see Illinois, Northwestern and Michigan State as their main competition in the race.\n"Illinois and Northwestern are important teams because they're in another region," coach Judy Bogenschutz said. "I know we're better than both of those teams. For us to go there and try to pick up third or fourth place would put us back in favor for a bid to nationals."\nThe team has struggled during its past two meets, but this weekend the runners will be working on aggressive racing strategies for the 5K, which features 100 competitors.\n"We need to run together and work together," said junior Stephanie Magley, the team's No. 3 runner. "I normally start out too slow and it takes me until the 3K to find (junior) Erin (Womble) and (freshman) Lauren (Weddell). It won't be as big a race, so we'll be able to find each other."\nMagley, a middle-distance runner, said she will be more at ease this meet because of the shorter 5K distance. The team has run a few 6K races this season in preparation for the 6K at the NCAA championship meet.\nBogenschutz said the team would be in the best position if sophomores Amanda Bell and Allyson Hammond break into the top 10, and if the No. 3, 4 and 5 runners are no farther back than 38th. She said the team will succeed if it works up to its potential.\n"Sometimes it just takes people to have a breakthrough race," Bogenschutz said. "When one person does, it changes everything. If somebody steps up, everyone will go with them."\nThe team remains optimistic about reaching their goal of going to nationals, and they have been working on translating their hard work in practices into top finishes in meets.\n"We haven't really talked about it as a team, but I think that we have to be ready by now," Magley said. "If we're not tired of doing bad, we shouldn't be in this sport"