12 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, February 19, 1999
Women try for second Big Ten crown'
By Arun Gopal
For the Daily '
The Michigan women's track and field team has
been preparing for this moment during the entire
indoor season. All the hours of practice, all of the
effort, and all of the miles have been building up to
this weekend when No. 6 Michigan travels to
Columbus for the Big Ten women's indoor track and
field Championships, which start Saturday at 9 a.m.
As defending champion, Michigan will be the
hunted, and the other ten teams in the conference
will be the hunters. This year several of the hunters
are solid contenders for the Big Ten crown.
"As always, Wisconsin will come strong,"
Michigan coach James Henry said. "They are bal-
anced and are especially strong in the middle and
long distances.
"Purdue is an up-and-comer. They also have a
very balanced team across the board. We feel that
these will be the two toughest teams to handle at the
Big Ten championships."
Henry said he feels that his team will not feel
extra pressure as defending champion, although
they had a poor showing at the Cannon Classic.
"There is some added incentive as champion,"
Henry said. "But we've already had a dress
rehearsal against most of our top conference chal-
lengers at the Cannon Classic. We stunk up the
place, and the other teams were better.
"If we don't change the script from the dress
rehearsal, we'll get our butt kicked. Our biggest
motivation will come from trying to prove that the
dress rehearsal was a fluke, not so much from
defending the title."
Purdue comes into the conference championships
with a perfect 3-0 record. The Boilermakers are led
by senior long jumper Carrie Long - who has yet
to lose this season - and by senior sprinter Ericka
King. King holds the second-fastest Big Ten time in
the 400 meters this year.
"There might be some individuals who feel tense
(about the meet), but collectively, I don't think we'll
feel the pressure," said Michigan distance coach
Mike McGuire. "We go in knowing that we did it
together last year, and if we keep that in mind, we'll
be fine."
No. 5 Wisconsin is led by a set of twins, seniors
Jenni and Janet Westphal.
The Westphals have 12 All-American honors
between them. Jenni was the Big Ten outdoor track
athlete of the year in 1998 and is a six-time confer-
ence champion. Janet is a five-time all-American
herself, and the twins teamed up on Wisconsin's
1996 national champion distance medley relay team.
The coaches agree that experience will be an
important factor for the competition.
"Experience always helps for leadership," Henry
said. "The more experienced athletes get out there
and help the younger members with their nerves."
There's "no question about it. The kids that have
been through the wars on the conference and nation-
al levels help to spearhead the attack," sai@
McGuire.
"However, the only way you win is with all twen-
ty-eight people contributing," McGuire said. "So the
supporting cast will be as important as the more
experienced runners."
The coaches gave their opinions on what will be
the keys to a good showing for Michigan. Henry
said the first race was important.
"We want to have a good start from Olive Ikeh
and Tiffany Hodge leading off in the pentathlon. We
want solid early performances from them," Henry
said.
McGuire emphasized the need for a balanced
attack from all of the Wolverines who will be in
Columbus.
"Balance from all twenty-eight competitors will
be important," McGuire said. "We have to compete
to the best of our abilities. We have to win with
everyone - four or five people can't do it alone."
'M' track needs young and old for victory.
LOUIS BROWN/Daily
Tiffany Hodge and the Michigan women's track team will travel to the Big Ten
Championships this weekend, as will the men's track team.
By Ron Garber
and David Mosso
Daily Sports Writers
The moment of truth has finally
arrived for the Michigan men's track
team. This weekend, the Wolverines
want to put an exclamation mark on a
season filled with pleasant surprises.
All season, this young, freshman-
laden squad has silenced critics and
performed beyond expectations. But
when they travel to Madison for the
Big Ten championship meet, they
face their most daunting challenge
yet.
Surprisingly, the freshmen provid-
ed the bulk of Michigan's scoring this
year. But due to the competitive field,
the Wolverines' elder statesmen
might have to lead the way.
"Going into the Big Ten meet you
can't really count on freshman,"
Michigan coach Jack Harvey said.
"They will make their mistakes. The
key is minimizing those mistakes."
Two upperclassmen, juniors Jay
Cantin and and Todd Snyder, have
distinguished themselves in recent
weeks.
Last week at the Wolverine Open,
Cantin captured the 800 meters by
running the fastest time of any
Wolverine all season. He also won the
mile at the Michigan Intercollegiate,
posting a team-leading time of 4:08.
Snyder posted back-to-back wins
in the 5,000 at the Michigan
Invitational and Meyo Classic. With
their combination of talent and expe-
rience, Cantin and Snyder seem to be
candidates for strong showings.
While the Wolverines would like
solid upperclassman performances,
it's no secret that the Wolverines need
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their freshmen to continue to exceed
expectations.
The most impressive of these fresh-
man has been silky-smooth sprinter
Ike Okenwa. Okenwa brings a streak
of four consecutive meets with a vic-
tory.
Earlier this week, Okenwa suffered
a major scare when he reinjured his
achilles' tendon in practice. While the
same injury may have kept any other
athlete from competing, Okenwa will
be ready to go this weekend.
"Even if I broke my foot, I'd be
running in that meet," Okenwa said.
"There's no way in hell I'm missing
that meet."
Okenwa is not the only freshman
with something to prove. Triple jump
specialist Oded Padan, currently
ranked seventh in the country, has
overwhelmed inferior competition all
BRONCOS
Continued from Page 31
recent slide.
Slow starts are Michigan's biggest
problem, because the Wolverines
don't possess the scoring firepower
to blast their way out of sizable
deficits.
"We want to get off to a better start
in these games," Berenson said. "You
might give up the first goal, because
that can happen. But we've been giv-
ing up the first two goals, and we
want to get away from that."
Although Michigan has found
season. But Padan will have his hands
full at Big Tens where three of the
best triple-jumpers in the nation will
compete.
A less-heralded freshman may
actually have the best chance to win
his event. Patrick Johansson is
expected to challenge in the weight
throw.
"If Patrick has two more feet i
him, and I think he does, he could wiP
the title in his event," Harvey said.
Other Wolverines expecting a big
weekend are freshmen Jeremy
Schneider and Mike Wisniewski and
sophomore Charles DeWildt, and
junior Dan Snyder.
This will be the last Big Ten indoor
championship in the illustrious twen-
ty-five year career of head coach Jack
Harvey. Yesterday, Harvey announce@
that he would retire on Jan. 1, 2000.
itself trailing early in recent games, it
has shown heart in its comebacks -
despite thetdisappointing end results
of most of them. a
That's little consolation to the
Wolverines, the preseason CCHA
favorite, who know that there are
columns in the standings for wins
losses, ties and points - but not
effort.
"They have to believe in them-
selves," Berenson said. "Sometimes
when you have too much confidence,
that's when you lose it.
"Now it's time to believe in our-
selves, and believe in each other."
"Come, LeT us ReasOn TOGETbeR ,"
- Isaiah 1:18
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