University of Minnesota Athletics
MTF: Gophers Ready to Compete at Big Ten Indoors
2/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
Though this season the Gophers lack the team depth of past years, Minnesota does returns 11 of the 22 athletes that scored at the 2004 Big Ten Indoor Championships in individual events and/or relays and so has an excellent chance for capturing a number individual conference crowns.
Among the title contenders is Travis Brandstatter who will try for his second multi-events conference title in the heptathlon after winning the decathlon last spring. Brandstatter, who already owns a provisional NCAA mark, aims to total an automatic qualifying score in the heptathlon. He will need to add an additional 122 points to his season's best total of 5,522.
Bryant Howe is currently ranked first among conference high jumpers, having cleared 7-2 1/4. Howe's aim is to extend a Minnesota streak of conference champions in the high jump. The Gophers swept the indoor and outdoor event titles at last year's conference meets with John Albert (7-3) winning the indoor title and Kevin Netzer (7-1 3/4) taking the outdoor crown.
Aaron Buzard is seeking his first individual conference title after taking home Big Ten honors as a member of the outdoor champion 4x400-meter relay last season. Buzard has clocked the Big Ten's second fastest times in the 400 (46.97) and 600 meters (1:17.50) this season.
Other returning scorers include Robb Merritt, Josh Paulson and Joronne Williamson. Merritt finished third in both the 60 and 200 meter dashes last year and currently has the conference's fifth fastest time in the 60-meter dash (6.85). Paulson finished third during last year's high jump competition and is currently ranked eighth among conference high jumpers. Joronne Williamson also added a third-place finish in the 2004 60-meter hurdles, running a time of 8.04 seconds.
Action will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday with the heptathlon 60-meters and will feature trials and semifinals rounds in most running events, as well as the finals of the 3,000-meters and distance medley relay. Field event champions will also be crowned in the long jump, shot put, pole vault. The meet will continue on Sunday with the heptathlon 60-meter hurdles at 10:20 a.m.
