Track record set in women's heat

The Little 500 women's field is getting more competitive with each spring series event. Alpha Gamma Delta set the standard at qualifications as the first to break a track record this year. But Kappa Kappa Gamma soon followed -- beating the newly-set record. With a record-breaking precedent set for the 2004 series events, Individual Time Trials didn't disappoint.\nOne of the most talked about heats Wednesday night was heat 50, which included top riders junior Kappa Alpha Theta rider Nicole Vincent, junior Kappa Kappa Gamma rider Meredith Horner, senior Alpha Gamma Delta rider Corey Bitzer and senior Teter rider Bri Kovac. \nDespite the rain and cold weather at Bill Armstrong Stadium, Kovac, who placed fourth in 2003, recorded a new track record with a time of 2:35.31. Kovac's teammate, senior Jessica Lindemann, finished second with a time of 2:38.20.\n"I was just really excited and surprised with how the conditions were," Kovac said. "(Breaking the record) was our goal ahead of time, but I didn't think it would happen. It was really exciting when it finally did."\nBitzer, who finished first last year with a time of 2:44.56, improved upon her 2003 time and finished this year at 2:41.77 and in fourth place. Third place went to Kappa Kappa Gamma rider and sophomore Jessica Sapp with a time of 2:38.54.\nBefore the event, Bitzer was confident her training during the past year had put her in place to record a second win. She said the disappointing fourth-place finish will only motivate her to train harder. \n"Confidence-wise, it will only push me the rest of the season," Bitzer said. "There is tough competition out there, and (Alpha Gamma Delta riders) know we have to work harder. Anything can happen in the race, and we are ready for it. We just have to work together."\nThe men's field was also full of competitive heats, which gave some riders the extra push to compete well. For senior Cutters rider Chris Vargo, the high competition and talent level of his heat, especially last year's winner junior Phi Gamma Delta rider Matt Davis, factored into his 2:21.49 winning ride. Vargo said he and Davis have a friendly competition, which made for a good heat. Davis finished second with a time of 2:21.73. Senior Dodds House rider Craig Luekens finished third at 2:22.82, fourth place went to sophomore Alpha Tau Omega rider Hans Arnessen with a time of 2:23.73 and Acacia rider and senior Brady Gibney rounded out the top five with a time of 2:23.86.\nEven though Vargo's win has no real bearing on the race, he said it will motivate the team to do better the rest of the season. \n"Ultimately we want to win the race," he said. "We have always been motivated to win the race, but we are a lot more motivated now. This showed we are a strong team, but it's anyone's race in the end."\n-- Contact staff writer Katie Schoenbaechler at kmschoen@indiana.edu.