2010 Rio Grande Track & Field Preview

January 13, 2010

2010 Rio Grande Track & Field Preview

Rio Grande --- The University of Rio Grande RedStorm men's and women's track and field teams are ready to embark on the 2010 indoor and seasons. The indoor season begins on Saturday at the Mike Hout Invitational at Capital University.

Rio Grande head coach Bob Willey enjoyed a tremendous cross country season in which the men's team competed at the NAIA Nationals and a pair of women's runners competed there individually. Willey and staff are hopeful that the track teams can follow suit.

As they prepare for the season, the coaching staff is sorting out what they have and where they can be most useful. The goal of the indoor season is to prepare for the outdoor campaign which begins March 19 at the Wake Forest Open.

"We're excited for the season to start and we hope to be able to build off the success of the cross country season," Willey said. "We have our first meet Saturday at Capital and they have a tremendous facility, the competition will be very, very good."

"We hope that our people did some training over the holidays, because if they didn't we're going to run fast and get last," Willey said. "We really don't want that."

"The season is upon us, it's what we have been waiting for," Willey added.

Rio has had to deal with some illnesses and injuries to the distance runners and will have to overcome that, but the overall numbers of both programs look pretty good as the RedStorm enter the season. "We want to have more balance in all the events and are numbers are good, they have been working hard, we've got a couple who are dealing with illness and injury, which is never good, but if what we have continued to train over break, we should be in good shape."

"Our runners have an advantage because they competed in the fall, but the sprinters, throwers and jumpers have all been practicing all year as well, so they should be ready to go," Willey added.

Rio must make the adjustment this year to the Mid-South Conference, although like the American Mideast Conference, there is no indoor conference meet, so the focus becomes the MSC Outdoor Meet, April 23-24, which Rio Grande will just happen to host. "This is a great opportunity for us, to host the conference meet, it's going to be a lot of work, but it's a chance for us to run and compete at home on our own course and we're looking forward to that," Willey said.

Willey's outstanding staff from a year ago is back with one addition, Marilyn Snyder, who also aided the cross country programs last fall. Burt Wood and Matt Boyles are back once again. Wood will use his expertise to tutor the throwers while Boyles will handle the distance runners which will allow Willey to again devote time to the sprinters, jumpers and hurdlers. Boyles, a former national champion in the race walk, will instruct the race-walkers as well. "Being able to delegate like that is so much better for our athletes, it's very exciting, we're all very enthusiastic about the upcoming season and can't wait to get started," Willey said.

The goals for the season remain the same as always. "We want people to qualify for nationals, we want to have as many All-Americans as possible," Willey said. "We want our kids to enjoy it also, they put in some much time and effort. "

"Obviously we want them to be students first, but we also want them to be athletes and have a social life as well," Willey added." "We want to give our athletes the opportunity to perform to the best of their abilities, as well as they possibly can and we think with the schedule that we have, we believe they can do that."

Also not changing is the very challenging schedule that Willey and his staff have assembled for the respective teams. There is a nice blend of completion ranging from NCAA Division I schools to smaller schools as well.

"We always to mix it up a little bit with our schedule," Willey said. "Conference-wise, the Mid-South Conference is a very tough conference, we will compete against NCAA schools and the smaller schools also, again with the idea that we want our athletes to be able to perform as well as possible."

The indoor schedule is highlighted by the All-Ohio Indoor Championships at Bowling Green (February 13). The indoor campaign culminates with the NAIA Indoor National Championships, March 3-6 in Johnson City, TN.

The outdoor season will consists of trips to Wake Forest, Lynchburg, VA (April 10), Duke (May 3), Ohio University (May 8) and a select squad will compete at the Jesse Owens Classic at Ohio State (May 1). In addition to the Mid-South Conference Meet, Rio Grande will host a pre-conference meet, April 17 as a dry run for the MSC Meet the following weekend.

The NAIA Outdoor National Championships will be held in Marian, IN, May 27-29.