IU takes 2nd in championship after weekend meet

After two days of intense competition, the IU women's track and field team conceded defeat to a strong Michigan squad at the Big Ten Championships in the Gladstein Fieldhouse. The two teams battled for control of the meet both Saturday and Sunday, and the title was up for grabs until the last individual event, the 5000-meter run, in which the Wolverines proved their depth by scoring 13 points, making it impossible for the Hoosiers to come back with only the 4x400 relay left to be run. \nThough disappointing, coach Randy Heisler said the second place finish is "nothing to be ashamed of." Heisler said he knew going into the meet that the defending conference champs would be tough to beat, but he said he's proud that the team exceeded even his expectations of keeping the score close up until the final events. Michigan finished with 129.5 points and IU had 115. Penn State finished third with 87. \n"I wouldn't say we lost, they just had more points," he said. "(Our team) did everything they could have done. They gave everything they could. I am really, really proud of them."\nIU was behind Michigan by only a half-point because of several strong showings in the field events Saturday evening after day one of competition. Senior Rose Richmond led the Hoosier domination of the long jump as the team placed four jumpers within the top seven. Richmond's personal best jump of 6.48 meters took first place in addition to breaking the Fieldhouse record. Senior Tandra Foster, junior Jennifer Cobbina and freshman Michelle Smith took fourth, fifth and seventh, respectively, to total a 21 point contribution from the long jumpers.\nFreshman Andrea Dalla Rosa also had a personal best performance this weekend in the shot put, which was good for fourth place. \nHeisler said he was especially impressed with IU's performances in the 60-, 200- and 400-meter dashes as well as the 60-meter hurdles. Senior Rachelle Boone finished first in both the 60 and the 200, and senior Danielle Carruthers was close behind to finish second in the 60 and third in the 200. Sophomore Ara Towns rounded off the sweep of the 60 with her third place finish in the event, running a personal best time in the process. Carruthers also finished second in the hurdles. Another sprinting standout was junior Chioma Ndubisi who took first place in the 400-meter dash. \nBoone, who set a Big Ten record in the semifinals of the 60, said she's proud of the way the Hoosiers stepped up against such a strong Michigan team.\n"I'm glad everyone gave it all they could," Boone said. \nCarruthers said she too knew that Michigan's depth would be difficult to overcome. "I'm not disappointed at all," she said.