Big Tens mean business

This Sunday in Savoy, Ill., the No. 23 Hoosiers will compete in the Big Ten Cross Country Championships at the University of Illinois golf course. Last season, the men's team finished second, and this year's Hoosiers are looking for a similar performance. The Big Ten's strength in distance running will make this a difficult task.\nThis year's championships provide four nationally ranked teams, with the highest being Wisconsin at No. 4. This team looks to be the biggest challenge for the Hoosiers.\n"Anyone is beatable on any given day, but I think Wisconsin would probably have to be significantly off to lose it," coach Robert Chapman said.\nNo. 12 Michigan and No. 18 Michigan State are the other ranked Big Ten teams ahead of IU. These two teams will also require the Hoosiers to run extremely well to repeat last year's performance. Despite the higher ranking, many on the team said they can beat Michigan and Michigan State.\n"They are solid teams but I think we are better than them," junior Chris Powers said. "I try not to listen to all the hype about the sport, and the rankings are really unimportant to me."\n"The men's team has only one goal this weekend," sophomore Bart Phariss said. "To run as well as we can, and I think if we run to our abilities we could finish in the top two."\nThe soggy racing conditions that are predicted for the title race might help the Hoosiers.\n"The course is extremely flat and fast. With all the rain, it could slow it down, which doesn't hurt us, but may bother a team like Michigan," Chapman said. \nThe success in last year's competition has also helped give the team confidence for the race this weekend.\n"We are in a similar spot to last year, and we know we can do it again," Phariss said.\nLast season, the Hoosiers entered the race the fourth best team in the Big Ten and were able to come out second. IU beat a tough Penn State team by one point last year in a close finish. This weekend the Hoosiers are not planning on making it so close.\n"We have eight guys doing better workouts than our top four did last year at this time, so physically, everything is on track," Chapman said. "Championship meets are about championship performances. I think we are ready for that"