IU travels to Canon IV Classic

IU women's track and field coach Randy Heisler put forth an extra effort Wednesday to ensure a solid performance from his team this Friday and Saturday as the team travels to Indianapolis for the Canon IV Classic. \nHeisler took his athletes to Indianapolis for practice on Wednesday to get the experience of running on the banked track as well as to give the field event athletes the opportunity to see the facilities that they will be competing in. Heisler said the banked track is one of the major reasons that he chose to have his team participate in the meet this weekend. The track will be especially beneficial to athletes running the 200- and 400-meter dashes. \n"I'm especially looking forward to the mile and the 200," Heisler said, but added that he's looking for big performances from everyone. \n"We've got to go up there and be better than we were last week," he said.\nLast weekend at the Indiana Invitational, the Hoosiers finished with 31 season bests, and Heisler said the team needs another similar weekend in order to be on the right track for a strong showing at the Big Ten Championships March 1-2.\n"We're taking 27 athletes this weekend, and I want half of them to get season bests," he said. \nHeisler said he expects seniors Rachelle Boone and Danielle Carruthers to improve on their already exceptional times this weekend. \nThis week, Boone was named the Big Ten women's track and field Athlete of the Week for her impressive performances last weekend in the 60- and 200-meter dashes. Boone ran an NCAA qualifying time of 7.26 in the 60-meter dash, and qualified provisionally for the 200. Boone currently owns the third fastest time in the nation in the 60 and the fifth best in the 200. \nFreshman thrower Andrea Dalla Rosa said seeing the less-than-stellar facilities ahead of time will help her this weekend.\n"It would have been a big surprise," she said. "Not knowing that I had to adjust would've thrown me off."\nDalla Rosa, who finished first place last weekend in the shot put with a throw that beat her personal record by two feet, said that the mental block she struggled with at the beginning of the season has dissipated but some anxiety still remains during competition. \n"Now I'm using (the anxiety) to help me," she said. \nSenior thrower Kelley McKinney, who also threw a personal best in the weight throw last weekend, said her goal is to qualify provisionally for the NCAA Championships. \n"My goal for the day is to throw 18.50 (meters)," she said.