The Wisconsin women's track and field team is set to host the 2006 Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championship this weekend at the Shell. Defending indoor champion Michigan will look to make it two straight but will face tough competition from 2005 outdoor champion Illinois. Both schools are the favorites to take away this year's title. The Badgers finished eighth last year and are poised to move up the Big Ten ladder.
Women's head coach Jim Stintzi mirrored Wisconsin's optimism at a weekly press conference.
'We're excited about hosting the Big Ten Championships this weekend.' Stintzi said. 'We're excited and I think we're moving in the right direction with our program.'
With Michigan, Penn State and Minnesota all ranked in the top 25 of the latest Trackwire 25 Power Rankings, it will be a tough climb for the Lady Badgers.
Michigan leads the conference in six categories, including the 800-meter run, where senior Katie Erdman has recorded three top-two finishes. Penn State should also have a strong showing, with 14 Nittany Lions ranked in the top five of nine conference categories. Two-time Athlete of the Week Jennifer Leatherman and junior Shana Cox lead Penn State into this year's championship. Leatherman boasts an automatic qualifying mark in the weight throw with a toss of 72' 0,' while Cox leads the conference in the 200 and 400-meter events.
Illinois currently ranks in the top five in nine conference categories. Junior Yvonne Mensah will defend her 60-meter hurdles title, and junior Cassie Hunt enters this weekend with an automatic standard met, while the 4x400-meter relay will attempt to win its second consecutive title. Minnesota heads into the championships behind the 2005 Big Ten Freshman-of-the- Year Liz Roehrig, who ranks in the top five in three categories. Freshman Heather Dorniden, who was the Feb. 7 athlete of the week, currently sits at No. 2 with an automatic qualifying mark of 2:04.30 in the 800 meters.
Wisconsin will be led by junior Blair Luethmers, who leads the conference with a 13-foot one-fourth-inch pole-vault mark, and second-team All-Big Ten selection Erin Schoeller, who is ranked fifth in the 600 meters. The Badgers view pole vaulting as a strong point, a strength coach Stintzi is quick to point out.
'Pole vault has been real strong for us this year,' Stintzi said. 'Blair Luethmers and Jenny Soceka are in the top five in that event. It helps in any event to have more than one person who is really competitive.'
No matter where the Badgers finish this weekend, the Big Ten Championship will be great for all of Madison.
'It's important that the Madison community, the Wisconsin community gets a chance to see our team in action,' Stintzi said. 'I think it's a great thing for Madison, for Wisconsin to host the championship, because they get a chance to see arguably one of the top conferences in the country in track and field.'
