Big Ten Championship kicks off Sunday

At the beginning of the season the IU women's cross-country team had a vision -- a vision that the Hoosiers would make their first run at a Big Ten crown in more than a decade. Sunday at Purdue, the Hoosiers will try and make the vision a reality. \nJunior Becky Obrecht said she believes the team is up to the task. \n"This year's team came in with a vision, and it was obvious even during our first official workout back in August, that no one was willing to let the vision fade away and settle for anything less," Obrecht said. "We all want to win this weekend, and it's going to be a tough meet, but it makes it easier during the race when you know that their are eight other girls in Indiana uniforms hurting just as bad as you and running just as hard to bring home a championship." \nJunior Audrey Giesler agreed with her teammate's view on the weekend. \n"(The team) is definitely prepared," Giesler said. "We've been working towards this for awhile."\nThis Big Ten Championship, however, will not be void of the nation's top competition. Wisconsin is ranked No. 9 in the country and Michigan State, Michigan and Northwestern are all ranked nationally. \nThe competitive balance in the race is something coach Judy Wilson is looking forward to. But Wilson said she knows the competition will overtake her team unless the Hoosiers come to the race ready to run.\n"The team scores at the Big Ten will be much closer than in years past," Wilson said. "If MSU rebounds from the Pre-NCAA meet, and Michigan comes ready to run, it will be very close. We have run against Wisconsin twice, once at Notre Dame where we ran sub-par and the other was at Pre-NCAA where we were only 32 points behind in a 260-runner field. They are attainable if we have five who will go out and lay it all on the line." \nAlthough this weekend looms large for the Hoosiers, the race will be an important factor for other reasons. NCAA Regionals will also be held in West Lafayette, Ind. and Obrecht said she believes knowing the course could be a key factor.\n"Gaining familiarity with the course in general will help us mentally prepare for Regionals in two weeks, since we will know the terrain and have a better feel for how the course will run," Obrecht said. "It is always more relaxing racing on a course that you are more familiar with, especially when it comes down to crucial meets like Regionals when your nerves are more on edge"