Track teams roll into 2005 outdoor seasons

Still buzzing off its fifth-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships two weeks ago, the men's track team is hopping a plane to Gainesville for the Florida Relays. The meet will serve as IU's outdoor debut, and allow IU a chance to get used to competing in an uncontrollable climate and also to chase regional qualifying marks.\nUnlike indoor track, where logistical limits prevent a large number of athletes from competing at nationals, outdoor track has embraced a qualifying system that requires athletes to compete in an NCAA Regional meet in order to qualify for Nationals.\nMany of the Hoosiers look forward to getting these marks out of the way early so that they can begin longer training cycles designed to peak at the NCAA and USATF Championships this summer. \nFresh from a fantastic NCAA weekend, which saw him sweep the horizontal jumping events, junior All-American Aarik Wilson remains focused.\n"We like the meet and I always seem to jump well there," Wilson said. "There's still a lot I have to work on, and after NCAAs I have an even bigger target on my back."\nSophomore All-American David Neville has waited all year to get back on the outdoor track, as his height is something of a detriment on an indoor track's tight turns.\n"I think I had a pretty good indoor season, but that I can be better," Neville said. "I feel great coming off NCAAs and I'm ready to do some damage."\nIU's distance runners will sit the weekend out, instead returning to strength work to rejuvenate themselves after successive grueling cross country and indoor track campaigns. \n"I'm not racing until Mt. SAC, (Mt. San Antonio College)" said junior All-American Sean Jefferson, who finished second at NCAAs in the mile. "It gives me about a month between NCAAs and my next race, so I can build strength."\nLast year, junior Ryan Ketchum, who barely missed qualifying for NCAA Indoor Nationals, took home the Florida Relays shot put crown, while Wilson and Neville both took home victories as well.\n"I'm looking to get my qualifying marks for regionals," Neville said. "I'm also looking to win all of my events."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Rob DeWitte at rdewitte@indiana.edu.