Men set to battle Big Ten foes

"This is what we train for." \nAssistant track coach Wayne Pate summarized the team's upcoming weekend at the University of Michigan, the site of the 2004 Big Ten Indoor Championships. \nThe men's team enters the meet with nearly every one of its entries in position to score in their particular event. \n"Things are really starting to come together," said IU coach Randy Heisler. "We've got so many guys that are ranked seventh or eighth in the conference that are capable of placing higher. If they place even one or two spots higher, they change the whole dynamic of the meet because it gives us more points and at the same time takes points away from other teams."\nThe Big Ten conference is very competitive and the championship meet should be evidence of that. Reigning NCAA Champions turn up in several events. Minnesota returns two of the top-three 400-meter runners in the NCAA. Michigan boasts two of the top-three milers in the NCAA, one of which is also last year's NCAA 800-meter champion. \nThese events happen to be three of IU's strongest, as freshman David Neville ranks fifth in the conference in the 400-meters, sophomore All-American Sean Jefferson ranks third in the mile and junior Rodney Hollis' split from IU's record-setting Tyson Invitational Distance Medley Relay ranks him third in the conference. \n"David has no pressure on him, and he's still learning how to run indoors," Heisler said. "The national champ is going to be in his race, so he has a great chance to run fast and qualify for NCAA's."\nJefferson looks to keep the mile title in his family, as twin brother John won the event at last year's meet. Depending on final entry lists, Sean, who finished eighth last year, could enter the meet as the favorite. \n"My last two races have been set up to try to hit a time," Jefferson said. "Now that qualifying is out of the way, it'll be fun to just race. This year I'm going for the win, not the upset."\nHollis will change events from last year's championships, where he took third in the 600-meters and ran on IU's third-place distance medley relay team. This year he will compete in the 800-meter. \nOther individuals crucial to IU's success include freshman long jumper Kiwan Lawson, junior shot putter Ryan Ketchum, junior heptathlete Jake Wiseman, senior All-American Chris Powers, junior Tom Burns and sophomores Eric Redman and Stephen Haas. \n"Kiwan could win the long jump," Heisler said. "There isn't anybody that's way out front, he's confident and he's been jumping well all season."\nBurns and Haas will likely share relay duties on the distance medley, while Powers will race the 3,000-meter and possibly the 5,000-meter.\n"The 3K is going to roll," Powers said. "It's Big Ten's. It always rolls."\n-- Contact staff writer Rob DeWitte at rdewitte@indiana.edu.