To avoid running in bad weather, track and field athletes have an indoor season during the winter. When the women's team takes to the track Friday for its first outdoor meet, however, the conditions will be less than ideal.
"We don't expect great weather in Indiana in March," head coach Sue Parks said. "It'll be OK with us. We will try not to let the weather affect us regardless."
The team will leave for the Purdue Open on Friday. By that time, the 8 inches of snow in West Lafayette should be gone, but the temperatures are expected to be in the '50s with winds about 10 miles per hour."
"It's just a transition with the weather," Parks said. "What's tough right now is that with the weather, we haven't had a chance to get outside that much. So right now we are kind of going into this meet a little bit blind."
As for the actual meet, Parks said the team is expecting a stronger start than it had in the indoor season.
"We really sputtered at the beginning of the indoor year," she said, "and by the time we got things together, it was too little too late. But we did come on at the end."
The Cardinals finished their indoor season by placing third in the Mid-American Conference championships behind Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan. Both of those teams will be at the Purdue Open.
Ball State will be led by junior jumper/sprinter Patricia Soman, who placed ninth in the NCAA Championships in the triple jump. Parks will also expect strong performances from Katie Nowak in distance races. Nowak was named most valuable performer at the MAC indoor meet. Janee Langhorne will lead a strong Ball State throwing attack.
"If our marks aren't quite where we want them to be because of the conditions," Parks said, "we can at least be competitive. When we get to warmer weather meets we will be able to hit our marks."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
