Distance runners will represent the Wisconsin track team at the NCAA Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., this weekend, with sophomore Brandon Bethke competing individually for the men's team, and seniors Katrina Rundhaug and Ann Detmer running individually for the women.
Both the men's and women's distance medley relay teams will also compete.
While the men's team picked greater depth with underclassmen this year to cruise to their eighth straight Big Ten title, they will be unable to repeat their team championship after the departure of three senior studs.
After being named Big Ten Indoor Athlete of the Year, Bethke is going into the 3,000 meters seeded fourth, one and a half seconds behind the first seed, with his school-record 7 minutes 51.54 seconds. Bethke will have to stick on Villanova's Robert Curtis and Liberty's Josh McDougal for a shot at the title.
Wisconsin's distance medley relay is seeking to improve on last year's third place showing, and sophomores Craig Miller and Jack Bolas along with junior James Groce are returning with an extra year of experience. Freshman Evan Jager will make his nationals debut running the 800 leg.
Texas is the clear favorite after breaking the NCAA record by two seconds in February, going 9:25.97 and is seeded over four seconds ahead of second-ranked Arkansas. Wisconsin is seeded sixth at 9:33.29.
Bolas and Bethke both declined to compete in the mile in order to focus on one event.
Florida State, Tennessee and LSU are the top contenders for the team title.
Last year, Wisconsin won the first-ever NCAA track championship for a Big Ten school after scoring 40 points, five ahead of second-place Florida.
Women's preview
With five competitors in three distance events, a record number for head coach Jim Stintzi, this weekend is likely to be the women's track team's best showing in years.
Rundhaug is going into nationals with the third-fastest time in the 5,000-meter run this season at 15:56.33. Sally Kipyego of Texas Tech, who won the 5k by over 10 seconds last year, is ranked 20 seconds ahead of the second seed, Iowa State's Lisa Koll, who went 15:58 this season.
Rundhaug redshirted last year, and she took seventh in the 5k in 2006 with a 16:08.
Wisconsin's distance medley relay team secured a spot at nationals by running 11:09.84 last weekend at the Last Chance"" meet at Notre Dame. Juniors Gwen Jorgensen, Nicole Slaby, Carly Ducharme and Detmer will make up the Badger squad. Big Ten rival Michigan is the favorite with a season best of 11:01, and Baylor is ranked second at 11:07, only two seconds ahead of UW.
For Jorgensen, Slaby and Ducharme, this weekend will be their first ever national championship.
Detmer will be doubling distance medley relay-mile this weekend, as her 4:41.68 performance this season squeaked her through with the 16th seed in the 17-strong field. Michigan's Nicole Edwards is favored to win the race.
Detmer placed 18th in the 1,500 during the outdoor championships last spring.
The team title is expected to be a battle between LSU and Arizona State. The Badgers were unable to place anyone in the top eight for a score at the NCAAs last year.
