Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewas Are Starting to Get Healthy
4/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | MTF
April 27, 2005
MOUNT PLEASANT -- For the first time in the outdoor season, all three of Central Michigan University's All-Americans will be on the track for the Chippewas this weekend.
Sprinters Pierre Vinson and Johnie Drake as well as hurdler Clarence Glenn will compete at the Penn Relays, along with approximately a dozen of their teammates on Friday and Saturday, April 29-30. Most of the field athletes will also make the trip to Penn State.
"The Penn Relays are a very prestigious and very competitive. It is really our last significant competition before the Mid-American Conference championship meet, because we probably will hold most of the team out next weekend," head coach Jim Knapp said.
The rest of the Maroon and Gold will either have the weekend off, or will take part in the Hillsdale Relays in Hillsdale, Mich. Among those taking part will be Nelson Deford and Steve Wezner.
"The guys who are going to Hillsdale, we're going to do some looking at. Steve Wezner will run both the 400m and 200m. He's never done that before and with our injuries we may have to do that in the MAC championship meet. We are still kind of having to tweak because of injuries," Knapp said.
It has been a difficult outdoor season for the Chippewas due to several factors they have been unable to control.
"You can put a thrower or distance runner in bad weather and they can still compete. Anything that has to do with fast twitch, when it starts to get cold, its pretty hard to let it all out. It's just been an unbelievable spring. The snowstorm in March, that kind of thing just puts a damper on our training. On top of that, we've just been banged up," Knapp said.
Over the next week, CMU will have an added element, because of final exams.
"We are very concerned about our team's academics. Study time will be an important part of our itinerary while we are in Philadelphia, " Knapp said.
One injury that coach Knapp is still very concerned about is Soji Jibowu.
"If the conference meet was this weekend, he is so tough that he could gut it out and get something done, but for now we aren't going to risk it," he said.
The Chippewas had a scheduled weekend off last week, and will head to the Michigan Relays at the University of Michigan next weekend, May 6-7.
