Team set to defend Intercollegiate title

IU's drive to November's NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute takes a brief pit stop today in West Lafayette for the Indiana Intercollegiates. IU has won the race the last two years. \n"For Intercollegiates, the goal is always the same," IU coach Robert Chapman said prior to last year's race. "We want to get in a good solid workout and not get anyone hurt."\nThe team's mentality has changed very little since. However, last year, Chapman promised to shave his head if the team swept the top five places. They obliged, and Monday the guys were greeted by a freshly-buzzed coach. \nAt the turn of the century, IU struggled to win Intercollegiates after decades of dominance. Because the top competition in the state is Notre Dame, who traditionally does not compete in this race, this was something of a disappointment for followers of IU cross country. \nSince then, IU has stepped up the tempo and become the dominant squad on the course. The only question becomes whether a runner from another team can break up the Hoosiers' front pack sweep. \nThis doesn't look incredibly likely this year, as only one Purdue University runner has anywhere near the qualifications to keep up with IU's herd of national-level talent. \nStill, the Hoosier runners have learned from past races not to take anything for granted. \n"It always takes some luck to win a cross country meet," junior All-American John Jefferson said. "But I find the harder I train, the luckier I get."\nIU's last competition was the Indiana Open, where junior Billy Coale notched his first collegiate victory. Coale will again be in action, along with juniors Sean and John Jefferson, Eric Redman and Stephen Haas and senior Tom Burns. Junior Mike Diederich, traditionally an 800-meter track specialist, will make his cross country debut. Junior Charlie Koeppen, hampered recently by illness, will decide race day whether to compete. \nJunior All-American Sean Jefferson is the meet's top returner after placing third in a blanket finish in 2003 with IU alumni Chad Andrews and Chris Powers.\n"I do the same thing every race," Jefferson said. "I go out and do my best."\nOne change has yet to be made in the last two weeks. The men's cross country squad is the only team still waiting for its new adidas uniforms. \n"We got the shorts already," Burns said. "But we still don't have the jerseys, which are pretty important. So I guess we'll have to stick with our Nike stuff for now."\nResults will be available at www.iuhoosiers.com Friday night. \n-- Contact staff writer Rob DeWitte at rdewitte@indiana.edu.