Senior transfer gets long awaited opportunity

The men's cross country team has worked their way to a Top 20 national ranking. While many runnners have followed the traditional path to contribute to the squads recent success, Josh Trisler has taken several detours to get where he is today. \nTrisler, a fifth-year senior from Carmel, Ind., transferred to IU two years ago from DePauw University. Redshirted last season, Trisler's first opportunity to run in an important race for the 19th-ranked Hoosiers this weekend at the Roy Griak Invitational.\n"I am a little nervous, I haven't run in a meet in five years," Trisler said. "This meet is super important. If we win this meet or are in the thick of things some big things will happen."\nWhile at DePauw he watched many of the guys he ran against in high school have success at the Division one level. \n"I ran against many of these guys in high school and saw them having success and I thought I could do that too," he said.\nHead coach Robert Chapman said he made sure Trisler was clear on the rigorous training he would endure if he wanted to be an elite runner, and Trisler has put in the miles.\n"Josh has been very singular in his focus. For the last two years, he's known how long the odds were for him to make it on our team," Chapman said. "I have a lot of respect for him, and despite not running cross country the last four years, he could very well be on a Top-10 team in the nation this year. It's a great story." \nDespite his inexperience, his hard work has earned him the respect of his teammates.\n"Trisler combines the whole package, he came in real hungry and will do anything to win," sophomore runner Jeff Zeha said. "He is a good guy to have on a team."\nWith guys on the team who are willing to sacrifice as Trisler has, the Hoosiers have improved from last year. Earlier this season Trisler earned the chance to run in the Indiana Open, an unscored race which is similar to a practice for the Hoosiers, who use the race to gain experience in a competitive atmosphere. At the Indiana Open he was running quite well, alongside freshman Tom Burns, who eventually won the race. Then his foot began hurting and Chapman had him stop running to prevent injury.\n"My shoe was old and the ground was hard; it hurt so I stopped (running)," Trisler said. "I solved the problem -- I got new spikes." \nWith this weekend coming up, Trisler receives another chance to accomplish his goals.\n"(I want to) help lead this team to the highest finish it has had in a long time," Trisler said. "And be an All-American"