Showtime For Track & Field

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The preliminaries are out of the way.

Now, it's prove-it time.

The Central Michigan track & field team has its most important meet of the indoor season this weekend when it goes to the Mid-American Conference Championships at Kent State on Friday and Saturday.

Several Chippewa athletes on both the men's and women's team have a good shot at winning a title, earning All-MAC honors and/or qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Championships, which are scheduled for Birmingham, Ala. March 8-9.

PREPARATION
CMU director of track & field/cross country Jenny Swieton said there weren't many changes for her team this week in the lead-up to the MAC Chammpionships.

All of the hard work the Chippewas have put in leads up to this make-or-break point in the season, and Swieton said it's a "business as usual" mindset.

"What we've been doing all season long has been working, so you don't want to change too much other than maybe a little taper to freshen them up so they're not tired," Swieton said. "That's the biggest thing, freshen them up, keep them sharp, and don't really change too much."

STEPPING UP
Swieton, her coaching staff, and her athletes are fully aware that it is this two-day meet where something special could happen.

"We had a team meeting about a week and a half ago to let them know that we have a shot (at winning the MACs)," Swieton said of her women's team. "We just have to go in there and do what we have been doing all season and take care of business. But we definitely have a shot.

"You want them fired up and excited about the opportunity, but you don't want them so fired up to where they crash and burn. And that's all you want, to go in with that opportunity and hopefully we can stay level headed and execute like they have all season and hopefully it pays off.

"It's going to be a barn burner. It's exciting to go into the meet and be in the mix and in the conversation. People are talking about us. It means that what the student-athletes have done all year is paying off and people are taking notice that we're a good team."

QUALIFYING
In order to qualify for the NCAA Championships, an athlete must be in the top 16 in the nation in their event by time, distance or height.

Some consider qualifying for the NCAA Indoors the most difficult when compared to the Cross Country and Outdoors Track & Field championships because the field is so limited and select for the indoors.

Among those Chippewas with their sights set on Birmingham are long jumpers Nadia Williams and Janelle Perry, and throwers Erin Howard and Logan Targgart.

Williams set the CMU women's indoor program record in the long jump earlier this season, and she is fourth in the nation with a leap of 6.41 meters; Perry is ranked 27^th at 6.16 meters and must improve on that marking in order to land a spot at the NCAA Championships.

Howard, who owns the program record for shot put, is ranked No. 27 in the nation and would need at least a 16.77-meter throw – or better -- to get into the top 16.

Targgart is ranked No. 33 in the nation in the weight throw at 20.30 meters and will need a substantially better throw, at least 21.18 meters to qualify.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Erin Howard

Janelle Perry

Logan Targgart

Nadia Williams

Central Michigan University Athletics