Hoosiers set for Big Ten competition

The IU men's track and field team leaves Friday for Iowa to compete in the 2006 Big Ten Indoor Championships.\nLast weekend's Hoosier Hills Invitational provided a final competitive gear-up before the team takes on nationally ranked Big Ten talent in the postseason. \nWhile IU boasts some of the country's premier athletes in junior sprinter David Neville and senior distance runner Stephen Haas, the road to the indoor championship could be an arduous path for the Hoosiers. \nThis year's tournament boasts three schools listed in the top 25 in the most recent Trackwire polls. IU currently shares the No. 22 spot with in-state foe Notre Dame. Michigan has earned a No. 9 ranking, while Wisconsin has achieved the No. 4 spot. \nIU will rely heavily on Neville to score serious points in the 200- and 400-meter runs, where he holds third and second-place rankings, respectively. \nDistance running could be similarly essential, as Haas maintains a first-place ranking in the men's 5,000-meter, while senior Eric Redman is fourth in the mile. \nIn terms of jumpers, IU boasts two top-five ranked athletes. Junior Kiwan Lawson owns a first-place ranking in the long jump, followed by sophomore Kyle Jenkins at five in the triple jump.\nSenior Ryan Ketchum captains the throwers with a fourth-place position in the shot put and seventh in the weight throw.\nLast year's Big Ten Indoor Championships proved bittersweet for IU's men. The team accumulated 105.5 points, its best finish in 12 years.