M. track hosts IC4As in warm-up meet for NCAAs

In past years, the IC4A championship marked the end of most of the team's season. With the advent of regional NCAA qualifying, the majority of the athletes competing this weekend will be training through reunions. Particularly in the longer distance races, athletes are running off-events as a tuneup for the door-die NCAA qualifying meet to be contested May 30-31 at George Mason.

The IC4A includes schools from the exalted Canadian border to as far south as Duke. The NCAA East Region includes those in the IC4A plus the rest of the Carolina schools down to the southern tip of Florida. Aside from being a tuneup for the body, this weekend will give the Tigers continuing competing after this weekend a mid-exam reminder of the caliber of athletes they will face if they wish to continue their season to the NCAA championship in Sacramento, June 11-14.

Junior Jon Kielizak, the third place finisher in the 1500-meter at the Heptagonal Championships, will run the 4x800m to sharpen his speed. Kieliszak is currently ranked 15th in the Eastern Region with a time of three minutes, 46.74 seconds. The top five finishers in the each of the nation's four regional meets, plus the next eight fastest times advance. Kielizsak has run the 5000m and this weekend he will run the 800m to approach his signature metric mile event from both an endurance and speed perspective.

Juniors Josh McCaughey and Mark Smith are expected to place well, as always, in the weight throw. They are currently ranked seventh and 15th respectively in the east and placed first and third at Heps.

"Mark Smith's centrifugal force has been unbelievable lately." Junior Sam Snyder said. "He's been spinning like a dreidel on Hanukkah."

Junior Mike Wieshuhn continues his strong sophomore high jumping campaign this weekend and at regionals. He looks to improve his impressive personal record of 2.07m and 25 regional ranking. Juniors Tim Releford and Matt Stack look to improve on their ninth and 19th regional rankings in the javelin throw.

"Stack has been chomping at the bit and foaming at the mouth this week," Releford said. "We're going to let him out of his cage on Saturday at 2 p.m. I just hope he doesn't spear any squirrels."

Despite qualifying for Regionals in both the 800m and 10,000m, Junior Jeff Dichiara will not be competing this weekend.

Junior Tristan Colangelo and senior Josh Ordway will compete in the steeplechase on Friday evening. Colangelo is currently ranked eighth in the east region with his time of 8:57.00 that he recorded in placing second at the Heps. Ordway, ranked 14th in the east, looks to regain his competitive form after a disconcerting eighth placing at Heps. Roommate and teammate Sam Snyder could not contain his excitement in assessing Colangelo's prospects for tomorrow's race.

"Tristan is going to bring the freaking ruckus in the steeplechase" he exclaimed.

For those who have finished exams or who are looking for a respite from third floor Frist, competition begins at 6 p.m. Friday and continues through Sunday afternoon.