Men's Track and Field: Optional meet helps individuals
By: Will King
Issue date: 5/5/09 Section: Sports
The men's track team competed in the Indiana State Pacesetter Invitational this past weekend. The team had few competitors, though, given the invitational's optional nature.
Even without the team aspect behind it, many runners took the opportunity to improve upon their personal bests.
"The meet was kind of optional because conference was a week before," Dietrick said. "It was more individual. As soon as conference is over we are done as a team, but you have the option to keep going to work on times."
Of the Tigers that did compete, a number of them placed well in their respective events.
The highest finish was by senior Stephen Griffy who came in third in the javelin throw with a distance of 50.31 meters. Sophomore Nick Pucillo's time of 15 minutes and 30.19 seconds earned him ninth in the 5,000-meter run. Junior Chris Dietrick came in ninth in the 800-meter run in 1:58.65 and freshman Bobby Dvorscak was ninth in the 400-meter hurdles in 1:08.22.
With the season drawing near its conclusion, the Tigers began to reflect on the past season.
"This season was a really big success," Dietrick said. "Coach challenged us to have a good track season and get ready for the summer. I think we really did that, not to mention we really got really close together as a team."
Dvorscak had similar thoughts about the season, saying that everyone improved consistently from meet to meet.
Looking ahead to next season, though, the team will have to replace key contributors.
"We are going to have a lot of good guys coming back on the track, but we lose almost all of our field event guys," Dietrick said.
Dvorscak echoed that sentiment, and also noted that the incoming freshman class will have a big impact on next year's success.
"I think next season depends on how many people we recruit next year because we are losing a few pretty good athletes," Dvorscak said.
The Tigers close out the season with two more individual meets at North Central College in Naperville, Ill., the Dr. Keeler Invitational Thursday and Friday and the North Central Last Chance Meet May 14 to 15.
Even without the team aspect behind it, many runners took the opportunity to improve upon their personal bests.
"The meet was kind of optional because conference was a week before," Dietrick said. "It was more individual. As soon as conference is over we are done as a team, but you have the option to keep going to work on times."
Of the Tigers that did compete, a number of them placed well in their respective events.
The highest finish was by senior Stephen Griffy who came in third in the javelin throw with a distance of 50.31 meters. Sophomore Nick Pucillo's time of 15 minutes and 30.19 seconds earned him ninth in the 5,000-meter run. Junior Chris Dietrick came in ninth in the 800-meter run in 1:58.65 and freshman Bobby Dvorscak was ninth in the 400-meter hurdles in 1:08.22.
With the season drawing near its conclusion, the Tigers began to reflect on the past season.
"This season was a really big success," Dietrick said. "Coach challenged us to have a good track season and get ready for the summer. I think we really did that, not to mention we really got really close together as a team."
Dvorscak had similar thoughts about the season, saying that everyone improved consistently from meet to meet.
Looking ahead to next season, though, the team will have to replace key contributors.
"We are going to have a lot of good guys coming back on the track, but we lose almost all of our field event guys," Dietrick said.
Dvorscak echoed that sentiment, and also noted that the incoming freshman class will have a big impact on next year's success.
"I think next season depends on how many people we recruit next year because we are losing a few pretty good athletes," Dvorscak said.
The Tigers close out the season with two more individual meets at North Central College in Naperville, Ill., the Dr. Keeler Invitational Thursday and Friday and the North Central Last Chance Meet May 14 to 15.
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