Hoosiers make final preparations for Big Tens

After 16 career bests in the Penn State Collegiate last weekend, the men's indoor track team returned home for the last time before the conference championship with hopes of continuing the momentum from the past couple of meets.\nIU will play host to the Hoosiers Hills Open 11 a.m. Saturday beginning with the men's long jump.\nJoining the Hoosiers for this unscored meet will be Rose Hulman, N. Kentucky, LIFE, Indiana State, Bellarmine, Anderson, Goshen, Mid-Way, Marian, Findlay, Kentucky State, Dayton, Purdue, Huntsville Int.-TC and Ball State. \nThe Hoosiers will sport new looks in several events to rest some athletes for the Big Ten Championships next weekend.\n"Coming off of our promising performances last weekend, the most important aspect of this meet is getting ready to perform to our highest peak of potential that we can prior to Big Tens," coach Marshall Goss said. "Everyone is focusing on what they need to do for next week. There will be many athletes running out of their events, perhaps doing a bit more speed work or longer distances to help us prepare."\nFreshman Ryan Sarbinoff will move down to the 200-meters from his normal event, the 400-meters. Sarbinoff earned a fourth-place finish at the Penn State Collegiate in the 400-meters, but this weekend he will work on increasing his speed.\n"They didn't want to burn me out in the 400-meters," Sarbinoff said. "Last weekend was the first time I competed with fresh legs, so even though the 400-meters is my race, I'd like to see how well my speed has come along by running in the 200-meters."\nEven though the majority of the teams invited to the open meet are smaller schools, Goss said he believes this will still be a good tune-up for the Big Ten championships, held at Penn State.\n"It's basically a preparation for the Big Ten Championship," Goss said. "Teams like Ball State, Indiana State and Purdue are all getting ready for their conference championships. We will be competing against these stronger schools, and the smaller schools will be running against each other."\nTwo athletes have made good use of sprints coach Ed Beathea's new training program designed for optimal performances at the end of the season. Both freshman Contrell Ash and sophomore Matt Harris have sped past their personal bests throughout the year. They are expected to be ready for the Big Ten Championship with a little more tweaking Saturday.\nBut this weekend it is the distance runners who will rest their weary legs, so they can peak when they return to Penn State next weekend.\nJunior Kevin Chandler has topped his personal best in the mile the past two meets, but he will be one of the non-participants this weekend.\n"I really want to be rested up for the Big Ten Championship because that's what is really important," Chandler said. "But we haven't had the week off either. Our miles were bumped up this week and have had three hard workouts. We'll take it easy next week"