Men's Track Opens Season Saturday in Tempe, Ariz.
March 07, 2003 | Men's Track and Field
March 7, 2003
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - After graduating a significant number of conference scorers and school record holders from a year ago, the University of Louisville men's track and field team will be looking to rebuild during the 2003 season. In addition to the graduation losses, the Cardinals will be redshirting three other conference scorers from last year. With 15 freshman joining the program, the Cards will compete with an extremely young squad this spring when they open the season Saturday at the Bill Sawyer Invitational in Tempe, Ariz.
"Our losses are definitely telling," said head coach Gene Weis. "Combine them with the student-athletes who will redshirt this year, and it will significantly affect us. Hopefully this year will give our underclassmen several more and better competitive options. We have some very good freshmen, and if those kids can grow and learn from the opportunities this spring, we could be better than ever a year from now."
Success this year will be measured by individual development, particularly the development of the younger student-athletes. With the exception of their first-year people, the Cards are thin in terms of returning letterwinners and/or scholarship athletes The talented freshman class will have to lead this group, and if the top returnees stay healthy, then the team should be able to have some fun in some key event areas.
"Our men's track and field program has been changing and evolving for years," said Weis. "The program's parameters are now more stable and it's clearer to see where we can take this. We have an exciting vision for the future in place and it will be fun to see how quickly we can make it all work."
Jumps
The Cardinals return their two top high jumpers from a year ago in sophomore Matt Berrier and junior Jeff Adams. Berrier placed eighth at the Conference USA Championship last season after clearing 6-6.75 and should contend to move up the conference ladder. Adams was 11th in the conference last season and cleared a personal-best height of 6-6 in the conference decathlon competition. Freshman Shawn Denk, a two-time Indiana state qualifier with best mark of 6-4, gives the Cardinals three solid high jumpers.
In the pole vault, the Cardinals return two upperclassmen and the regular services of assistant coach Doug Sharp, who won a bronze medal in the four-man bobsled at the 2002 Winter Olympics and missed most of last season preparing for the Olympic Games. Juniors Eric Cockley and Adams, both with personal-best marks of 15-5, last spring, could jump directly into the upper division in Conference USA this year. Both vaulters should challenge the qualifying standard for the NCAA Regionals.
Sophomore Marques Robie will lead the Cardinals in the long jump. Last season, Robie recorded three top-six finishes and had a season-best jump of 22-00.75.
Throws
Perhaps the strongest and deepest area for the Cardinals this season will be in the throwing events. Directed by successful throws coach Damien Kalvar, the team will likely produce the most points at the conference meet in these events.
Senior javelin thrower Brad Roach returns to lead the Cardinals. Last year, Roach set the school record with a throw of 182 feet to finish second at the Conference USA meet.
Juniors Troy Williams and John Blackwell also return to give the Cards experience in the discus and shot put events. Williams scored in the conference with an eighth-place finish last year, while Blackwell came on strong in his main event, the shot put, during his first season at U of L. Both are expected to challenge for top-five showing at the conference meet.
Fourth-year throwers and multi-time conference scorers Josh Brannen (hammer) and Joe Swiderski (javelin/hammer) will redshirt this season, but will return for the 2004 campaign to bolster an already strong area for the Cardinals.
Joining the Cardinals this year are two of the most promising freshman in the program, Arthur Turland and Brandon Cook. Turland, a native of Kincardine, Ontario, could challenge to score in the conference in any one of the four throwing events, but will likely focus on the discus and hammer. Cook, one of Indiana's top throwers last year out of Borden High School, brings significant high school discus success on board and may also make the transition to the javelin.
Sprints/Hurdles
Arguably the strongest men's sprint conference in the country, Conference USA presents an imposing challenge for the Cardinals. Sophomore Marques Robie returns after a solid freshman campaign where he recorded personal-best marks in the 100m (10.94) and 200m (21.74). Junior Ryan Bridgeman is back and will run in the 200m and 400m dashes, while freshman Jonathan Combs, an accomplished long sprinter at Central Hardin High School, is also expected to contribute.
First-year intermediate hurdler Josh Gardner, a standout from Eastern High School, was runner-up in the 300m hurdles and third in the 110m hurdles at the Kentucky State AAA meet and should give the Cards a solid presence in the hurdling events this spring.
In the sprint relays, Bridgeman and junior Dennis Wolff were both members of the school's record-setting 4x400m relay last year, while Bridgeman and Robie also ran legs of the team's best 4x100m relay.
Middle Distance
The middle distance area is one of the deeper event areas on the team, but also one of the youngest. Third-year Conference USA 1500m scorer Curtis Persinger is redshirting for the year, but seniors Dan Barczak and Tim Franxman could blossom after strong junior campaigns in the 800m and 1500m, respectively.
Canadian freshman Vernon Stephen, a very accomplished high school 400m and 800m runner, will be counted on to impact the conference right away and could be the surprise of the whole league if he can make the adjustment to the 1500m.
Fellow first-year runners P.J. Fox, Paul Markus and Chris Davis had sterling high school records but may be a year or two away from impacting things at the conference level.
Distance/Steeplechase
Freshman Tim Kaiser, the 2002 cross country MVP, will be a force in the conference in time and should challenge to reach Junior National qualifying this year.
Third-year steepler Josh Gentry should contend at the conference level after a strong sophomore season. Freshman Kyle Bowling, the surprise of the team, may also make a solid contribution in the steeplechase.
Senior and team captain Mike Horan adds depth and leadership to the group and could use his experience to challenge in the 10K.
Schedule
The 2003 schedule features several major national events along with the traditional two-meet home series.
Included among the upcoming season's scheduled competitions are the Mt. SAC Relays and the Penn Relays, two of the most prominent events on the national track and field calendar. The Conference USA Championship will be held in Charlotte, N.C., on May 15-17.
"This is the most exciting schedule we've put together to date," said Weis. "We want our people to have opportunities for individual success, and this schedule will provide all the event areas of our program at least several competitions specialized and unique to them."
The two-meet home series have become an attractive staple on the squad's schedule and can be expected to attract upwards of 30 collegiate programs to the U of L campus. The Cardinal Challenge, annually one of the U.S. Collegiate Track and Field Series events, will be on Saturday, April 5, while the Cardinal Open will be staged on Friday, April 25.
"Our facility is attractive and has shown it can be very performance-enhancing," said Weis. "As such, our home events have proven quite popular."
