Veterans, freshmen team up for perfect blend of talent

The IU women's track and field team won't waste any time in 2005 as the team sprints into the beginning of the indoor season Saturday at home.\nThe main mission this season is improvement. In 2004 the team finished fifth at the Big Ten Indoor Championships and seventh at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships.\nIU Director of Track and Field Randy Heisler will be looking to several key returning athletes and new talent to lead the way in each of the competing events.\nUnfortunately IU's top thrower in 2004, Andrea Dalla Rose, more than likely will be redshirted this year because of an offseason surgery. The team now is depending on the experience of sophomore Jenna Weinke in the discus and hammer throw and of junior Lindsey Heisler in the javelin. \nIn the 2004 outdoor season, Heisler tossed a season-best distance of 32.12m/105-4 at the Indiana Relay and placed 13th at the Big Ten Championships.\nWeinke threw an indoor career best effort in the weight throw (13.27m/43-6.50) at the Tiger Classic and posted an outdoor personal best mark of 37.73m/123-9 at the Purdue Dual meet. She also threw a personal best mark of 41.16m/35-0 at the Nebraska Quadrangular.\nThe pole vault will be one of the Hoosiers' best events this year, as the squad boasts three vaulters with at least two years of experience. Leading the way is senior Emily Tharpe, IU's record holder indoors and outdoors. Close behind are Ellison Tipton and Ashley Stinton; at the 2004 Big Ten Outdoor Championships, Tipton finished fourth and and Stinton finished eighth.\nIn the jump events, IU will rely on continued improvement from sophomore Lorian Price, who had the team's second best mark in the long jump last year. IU is also excited for the arrival of freshman Zakiya Robinson, last year's Indiana high school state runner-up in the long jump, and expects her to excel right away. \nFortunately for IU, the Hoosiers will bring back almost every member from last year's sprint squad. Every member of the Big Ten Champion 4x400 meter relay is returning for 2005, including sophomores Stacey Clausing and Michele Huber, junior LaDonna Ray and senior Charlene Maddox. \nSophomore Courtney Johnson finished second at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships in the 100-meter hurdles and qualified for regionals. Her career best time of 13:54 is fourth in IU's record books. \nIn the distance events, junior Jessica Gall was IU's key to scoring points at last year's outdoor conference meet, where she finished fourth in the 10K and third in the 5K. This year's team holds a wealth of talent, including junior Kelly Siefker, sophomore Kristin Whitezell and seniors Larra Overton and Mindy Peterson. \nThe 2005 IU women's track and field team will host the annual Hoosier Open 11 a.m. Saturday at the Harry C. Gladstein Fieldhouse.