PROVO -- The BYU men's and women's track and field teams will compete on Feb. 22-24 in Albuquerque N.M. at the 2007 Mountain West Conference Indoor Championships and are poised to make another run at the Championship crown.
"This is probably the most exciting meet of the indoor season," BYU men's head coach Mark Robison said. "Our goal every year is to win conference but it's always a battle. Colorado State and Air Force are very good and there are some individuals that could shake things up. So it will be a struggle."
Last season the men's team emerged victorious, winning by 60 points. The women had a battle to the finish and lost by one point in the end. Both teams are hopeful about the possibilities of bringing home the Championship crown.
"We are very excited," BYU women's head coach Craig Poole said. "We are looking pretty good but there should be some tough competition."
The women have had ten athletes provisionally qualify for the NCAA Indoor National Championships. Heidi Magill qualified in the mile; Kassi Andersen and Amy Fowler qualified in the 3000 meters; Whitney McDonald and Amber Duffin qualified in the 5000 meters; Ashley McAllister and Kelly Furr qualified in the pole vault; Mindy Neeley qualified in the long jump; Kamila Rywelska qualified in the triple jump and two Distance Medley Relay teams provisionally qualified to go to nationals. As it stands right now, of the 16 events that will be taking place in Albuquerque, N.M. the women's team holds 22 of the top five spots in those events
"Practice is almost as intense as the meets because we have so much talent on our team," sophomore All-American Amy Fowler said. "Sometimes our practice is an all-out mile and we push each other to run hard."
The men have four athletes provisionally qualified for nationals. They also have 17 athletes in the top-five in the MWC for their events with many more in the top-10. Some of the athletes expected to earn points this weekend do not have marks in their events and consequently are not on the top-10 lists. For example, All-American Josh Rohatinsky is coming back from an injury and is expected to race in the 5000 meters. Chris Carter is scheduled to run in the 60-meter hurdles for the first time this season.
"You never know what to expect at conference because teams are using guys for the first time of the season," Robison said. "It's not like in basketball where your best player is always competing. Some teams have athletes that haven't competed in their best event until conference. So we don't know who will show up until the final lists are posted days before the meet starts. That's just how it works. All season we are doing what's best for the individual athletes, and now we are focused on what's best for the team. We have had a week off and our athletes are rested. We should see some of the best marks of the season."