The UW Men's Track team has done something some other UW teams can only dream about: They've won six Indoor Big Ten titles in a row and established somewhat of a track and field dynasty right here in our own humble Shell. They are looking to extend that streak this weekend at the 2005 Indoor Big Ten Track & Field Championship meet, and senior distance runner Matt Tegenkamp insists that he and his contemporaries are feeling confident heading into this weekend.
\I think we're going in there very confident, we've got the athletes to get the job done,"" Tegenkamp said.
""We know we're going to have a really good meet, but we're really trying to have a great meet,"" sophomore sprinter Demi Omole said.
They are going to need a great meet, according to head coach Ed Nuttycombe. He's not so sure this year's contest is in the bag just yet.
""It's very close, they're not overwhelmingly better, but on paper Indiana [is better]. [Michigan is also] a very good team, but it's purely between Indiana and Wisconsin.""
Coincidentally, senior Matt Tegenkamp's biggest rivals this year are from those same two schools. Although the times posted by the runners this season favor Tegenkamp in the 5K, that race and the 3K will be very close. Fellow distance runner sophomore Chris Solinsky describes this upcoming meet as ""mini-nationals.""
""Four of the top-five in the 3K and the 5K in the Big Ten Conference are also the top-four nationally,"" Solinsky said, illustrating the conference's depth.
Tegenkamp is one of those guys. He and his teammates are looking to dominate the deepest distance field in the country.
""There are guys that are in our race with the chance to win a national title in the event, and I think I'm one of those guys, I'm going to go in there and compete with them,"" Tegenkamp said.
The UW team is strong this year, boasting Omole, who has ran the fastest 100-meter time in the country this season, Tegenkamp, who set the Big Ten 5K record this season and junior long jumper Joe Conway who has the best jump in the Big Ten so far this season.
Clearly, each of these athletes, as well as the other team members going to Purdue, has a good reason to be confident.
Solinsky best summed up the team's selfless mentality regarding the defense of last year's conference championship.
""Individually I just want to do my part to help win the team title and run smart. If that means an individual title then that's great,"" he said.
Asked about feeling pressure to defend their indoor title, Nuttycombe's response was pride.
""It's good pressure, we won last year, we're defending champions and we don't want anyone to take that away from us,"" he said.
