Once in a blue moon there comes a time when a team participating
in a national championship isn’t concerned with bringing home
a team title.
For the men’s track and field team, this is one of those
times.
Instead, their focal point for the NCAA Indoor Championships,
which begin today in Fayetteville, Ark., will be on individual
performances and gaining championship experience for the upcoming
outdoor season.
Ideally they would like to have a fighting chance at the team
title, but the Bruin coaching staff has generally never been overly
concerned with the indoor season. Instead, their focus is centered
mainly outdoors where they hold a more competitive edge. And with
the team competing in only six events this weekend, a team title is
all but impossible.
“The Indoor Championship serves a twofold purpose,”
sprints and relay coach Tony Veney said. “It not only gives
our elite athletes national recognition, especially if they bring
home a title, but it also gives them a competitive edge for the
outdoor championships.”
Senior long jumper Juaune Armon, one of the Bruins’ best
chances to win a title, is one of those athletes looking at this
experience as an opportunity to gain national attention needed in
order to pursue the sport after college.Â
Only his first time at the indoor championships, Armon enters
this weekend with the fourth best jump in the nation at 26.25
feet.
“(This weekend) is pretty important,” Armon said.
“Seeing how it’s my last year to go out and try to be
at the top in all the big meets, I would have to place well in both
arenas (indoor and outdoor) if I am going to pursue track outside
of college.”
While Armon will make his debut on the indoor scene, senior
thrower Dan Ames will be fighting for his fourth straight
All-American title in the shot put and second in the weight throw.
Seeded sixth in both events, Ames’ best bet for a top finish
will be in the shot put, because he will be competing against Dan
Taylor of Ohio State in the weight throw. Taylor’s best throw
this year is a full two meters farther than anyone else in the
nation.
“If Taylor does what he came to do, he’ll deserve to
win,” Ames said. “Instead of going into a battle
head-to-head, I’m more of the mindset of enjoying my own
success, because he’s throwing too far. I want to go out
there and throw a personal record. That would let me know that I
did my best.”
Also competing for the Bruins will be junior Pat Luke in the
pole vault, senior Ben Aragon in the mile and the newly formed and
surprisingly effective distance medley team consisting of Jon
Rankin, Craig Everhart, Nick Thorton and Aragon. Even though all
but Aragon are newcomers to the indoor championships, each has a
good chance of earning All-American honors by placing in the top
eight of his event.