After an impressive showing at the Big Ten Championships last month, the Wisconsin men's and women's track and field teams are ready to compete at the Indoor NCAA Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., this weekend. The Badgers will be sending 10 qualifiers to the Championships, eight on the men's side and two off the women's roster.
The top-seeded event for the men is the distance medley relay. The team of Ben Gregory, Joe Pierre, Chad Melotte and Chris Solinsky qualified for the meet last weekend and are entered as the No. 1 seed.
Other Badgers going to Arkansas this weekend include Demi Omole, who is seeded third in the 60-meter dash, and Alonzo Moore, who is seeded third in the triple jump.
"I feel pretty prepared; my workouts have been going pretty well, and I feel as though I have the best chance to win this week," Omole said. "My biggest competition is a freshman from Baylor and a sophomore from Florida State, but other than that, it's a three person race … I believe I will get my first national title this weekend."
Solinsky is probably the Badgers best chance to claim an individual crown, as he is the defending national champion in the 3000-meter race from last year and was recently named the Big Ten's Athlete of the Year. The junior distance runner is seeded sixth in the 3000-meter run and fourth in the 5000-meter race.
Along with Solinsky, two more Badgers qualified in the 5000-meter race. Tim Nelson, is ranked 13th in the event, followed by Stuart Eagon, who is ranked 15th.
Rounding out the distance crew is Gregory, who is seeded 17th in the mile.
"I think you have to assume that they have a good chance to place," UW head coach Ed Nuttycombe said of his team. "You've got one young man (Solinksy) who's a defending champion, you've got two guys who went third in their respective events. I think all eight guys who we are taking definitely have a chance to score and place." Nuttycombe said.
Going to Arkansas for the women are Katrina Rundhaug and Melissa Talbout.
Rundhaug is seeded 14th in the 5000-meter run and Melissa Talbot is ranked 16th seed in the pentathlon.
"Obviously, both qualified for the NCAAs which makes them pretty elite, because they only take about 16 or 17[athletes] across the country." UW head coach Jim Stintzi said. "They've both progressed each year steadily and have either improved their marks or come down in time, depending on the event."
"I feel really ready for [competition], and I'm just excited to run and race." Rundhaug said, "My ultimate goal is to be an All-American, and, hopefully, I'll end up in the top upper half of the race."
"I think I'm a lot more prepared than what I was with the Big Ten meet and from the last couple of meets," Talbout added. "I hope to give my best stuff of the season. Anybody can be off one day in something and be on in something else, anybody could take anybody else's spot."
Stintzi also believes that his two qualifiers have yet to perform at their capability.
"I don't really think either one of them have run or performed at their best yet this year, so if they do that, I think they both have a good chance of scoring," he said.
