.... ~~ Phoco by Daniel Dubois MEN'S TRACK "BUILDING YEAR" The 1999 men 's rrack team had a rough, yet promising year characterized by a loss of several £Op distance runners that left the team with mostly inexperienced runners. The team missed Jerry Marit im, senior, who red-shined the 1999 track season, which meant he was able to practice but not compete. His absence from comperiron COSt the team points in the conference and was a major factor in their poor showing at the Lone Star Confe rence meet in Abilene, Texas. Left in the upperclassmen's p laces were seve ral freshmen including Scott Penick. ] USt as adjusting to college life can be difficult for freshmen, playing intercollegiate SP OrtS provides challenges as well. Penick, who ran the 5,000 meter and the 10,000 meter, felt confident about his performance. "I had a pretty good season," Penick said. "I was consistent and that is good for a freshman runner. 1 th ink 1 laid a good foundat ion for the next track season. " Team members agreed that a fi rm foundation is vital to their performance as a team. Because of the absence of experienced runners, this year's ma in focus was on rebuilding the team. "We lost a lot of guys," said Andtew Scharff, freshman. "Las t year was pretty much a building year. " AlbercTabuc, junior, believes both the younger and older runners must learn from each other in order to improve. Tabut listed "scrong team effore and working together" as rwo of his goals for the 2000 track season. De.spite their scrong effores to improve as a team, not every runner's goals were met. TabU[, who parcicipated in the 800 meter and the 1,500 meter, did not compete as well as he had wanted. "I didn ' t quite accomplish my goal," he said. "}wanted to run under 1.50 and 1 ran a 1. 51. " David Scharff, freshman, who competed in the steeplechase, the 3,000 meter, the 5,000 meter and the 1,500 meter, said he would also like to perform better next year. "I would like to pklce higher in the steeplechase and get my time down in other events, "he said. Despite what Coach Bryan Ph illi ps called "the year in limbo," he sa id the team looks promis ing for the 2000 season. The team is excited about the much needed physical improvements that were made to the {rack. "Even whil e the trackwas being redone, athletes continued to play on t he grass," Phillips said. " EVEN THOUGH WE HAD A ROUGH SEASON, THE TEAM AS A WHOLE COMPETED HARD AND WILL DEFINITELY IMPROVE IN THE UPCOMING SEASON." -FRED STRATHMANN, SOPHOMORE Fred St rathmann, sophomore, said the team has many high expectations for the coming season. "Even though we had a rough season, the team as a whole competed hard and will defi nitely improve in the upcoming season," Scrathmann said. - Ginger Wilson -Sonya Sawyer Mark Ohrenberger, freshman , smiles as he preapres to th row the shOt pur during practice. As a team, the Bisons fi nished sevenrh at the Lone Star Confe rence Meet. Men's Track 183
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