Men send two to NCAA Indoor Championships

The track and field indoor season concludes this weekend with the NCAA Championship in Fayetteville, Ark. The Hoosiers were able to qualify two individuals. Sophomore Aarik Wilson qualified in both the long and triple jump and sophomore John Jefferson made the field in the mile.\nWilson dominated this season in the triple jump, finishing the year undefeated in the event. He heads into nationals with the goal of an individual title. He finished fourth in the meet last year as a true freshman and enters this year's meet with the same ranking. However, coach Marshall Goss said that each of the top four triple jumpers are favorites in the meet and Wilson has a good shot at the title.\n"We think he's coming into his own right now in the long jump," Goss said. "In the triple jump, he's been consistent all the way through."\nGoss said that Wilson, although ranked 13th in the long jump, can place high in that event as well. He is seeded only .16 meters behind the No. 6 ranked individual in the event. Also, six individuals ranked ahead of Wilson set their season personal records in late January or early February. Goss said that because the competition is so tight anyone could come out of the shadows and win the event.\nA strong performance in the long jump is important to Wilson because he said that when he came to the college-level one of his goals was to become a great long jumper. A strong performance here would be a validation of that goal.\nIn the triple jump, Wilson has a chance to become the greatest in IU track and field history. Second on the list and only a sophomore, Wilson is likely to someday become the top individual.\nJefferson's entrance into the meet came with a great deal of luck. Before scratches had been made, he was ranked No. 25 in the mile, but this year many participants chose to run different events so Jefferson was able to drop to the fourteenth spot and sneak in. Only 15 runners qualify for the race. Distance coach Robert Chapman said Jefferson deserved a spot in the race as he was an All-American in the event last year and was the champion at the Big Ten Championship.\n"It shouldn't have been a question of us having to wait for those scratches," Chapman said. "I think he knows he's a major player. All of the variables are in place for him."\nOne of the benefits Jefferson has heading into the meet is versatility. Jefferson has trained with high mileage and his fitness is capable of handling a fast pace. Also, Chapman said that no one in the field has a stronger finishing kick than Jefferson, so a slow pace would work in his favor as well.\n"There's no one that's really the clear cut favorite in the mile," Jefferson said. "Anyone in the field can win it, so I need to put my self in position and only good things can happen from that"