Track participants look to build off previous success in new year

Now that the second semester has begun, both the men’s and women’s track and field teams will be using the indoor season to prepare for another outdoor season in Big Ten competition.

The first meet of the new year for the men’s and women’s track and field teams will be the Indiana Open on Saturday, which takes place at Harry Gladstein Fieldhouse on the
Bloomington campus.

The meet is the first of four home meets in 20 days for the Hoosiers, who won the Hoosier Open by claiming victory in 18 events back on Dec. 9.
Both teams will be aided by success in the sprints, particularly the
4x100 squads.

On the men’s side, senior sprinter Kind Butler had first place finishes in both the 55 meters and 300 meters at the Hoosier Open. Senior distance runner Ben Hubers will be seeking a victory in the 5,000 meters, after finishing second in the Hoosier Open with a time of 13:46.07.

On the women’s side, juniors sprinter Aireonna Bailey and high jumper Emma Kimoto look to continue their success after claiming victories at the Hoosier Open.

The Hoosiers’ indoor season will heat up with a meet against rival Purdue on Jan. 14, followed by the Gladstein Invitational and Indiana Relays. Each meet will take place on campus.

The indoor season will conclude with the Big Ten Indoor Championships at the University of Nebraska. The men’s team will seek to improve upon this past season’s second-place finish at the event. The women’s team had a fifth-place finish at the same meet.

The men’s team received a large boost from its distance team at this past year’s championships, as well as from its 4x100 team, both of which will be counted upon again this season.

Last season’s 4x100 squad, which consisted of sophomore Tyler Sult, Butler, junior Chris Vaughn and then-senior Devin Pipkin, placed second at the outdoor championships.

IU Coach Ron Helmer will be tasked with finding a suitable replacement for Pipkin, who has since graduated.

On the women’s side, Bailey is seeking to build upon her 2010-11 season after clocking in at 23.53 seconds in the 200-meter dash at last year’s Big Ten Outdoor Championships, the fifth-best time in IU history.

Like the men, the women’s team also boasts a strong 4x100 squad, which features Bailey, senior Ann-Marie Clarke, and sophomores Fabrina Espinoza and Portia Bailey.
The group clocked in at 46.04 at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships in Iowa City, Iowa, this past season, finishing fifth.

Kimoto will provide some points in the high jump. She cleared 1.76 meters at the Big Ten Championships this past season, which marked the seventh-best height in
program history.

The Hoosiers look to get consistent production from each of these relay squads and individuals and to put another solid season in
the books.
However, the competition remains fierce in Big Ten action. Iowa, Ohio State and Minnesota will challenge the men’s team, while Ohio State and Penn State will be tough toward the women’s team.