Irish must battle injuries, illness in weekend invitational
By NOAH AMSTADTER
Assistant Sports Editor
Injuries are the focus when the Irish men's track team begins the Meyo Invitational today in Loftus as the team will be without three important members of their team.
Distance runners Pat Conway — who has won the mile in both Notre Dame meets this season — is out with a leg injury, as is 800-meter standout Nate Andrulonis.
Junior Quill Redwine, who won both the high jump and triple jump last Friday against Michigan State, will miss the invitational with a tender knee.
Additionally, the team's leading scorer, sprinter/jumper Tom Gilbert, has been battling the flu all week.
"I've been sick all week, that's my biggest problem right now," said Gilbert. "If it were a smaller meet I'd probably consider not running."
The meet brings some of the top teams in the country to South Bend. Michigan, Tennessee, Miami (Fla.), Wake Forest, Duke, Missouri and Michigan State all will be competing. Other competitors include Georgetown, Kentucky, Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan.
With the Big East Indoor Championships only two weeks away, competing against conference rivals Georgetown and Miami should give the Irish insight heading into the meet.
"Georgetown historically is very good distance and middle-distance," said Irish head coach Joe Piane. "This year is no exception — in fact they may be better than normal."
Miami comes in with a solid sprint crew that will challenge Gilbert and Davey in the 60 meters and Gilbert and "Red" Croker in the 200 meters.
"It's good to see the competition that's going to be in the Big East meet," said Davey. "My focus is the Big East, so it's good to see the competition beforehand."
Tennessee sprinter Leonard Scott brings in the nation's top times in the 60-meters and 200-meters. Scott has clocked in at 6.57 in the 60 and 20.80 in the 200.
In the longer sprints, the Irish will be challenged by a talented group of Georgetown middle-distance runners. Freshman James Bracken will run the 400 meters. Georgetown's Nick Reynolds brings in the Big East's top time in the event with a 47.74 on Saturday.
In the 500 meters, Irish sprinter/kicker Nick Setta and senior Terry Wray face a talented group of Georgetown runners. Wray, who specializes in the event, is competing in the 500 for the first time this season.
"I'm ready to come out and run a good time," Wray said. "I ran a pretty good time last year. I'm hoping to go in to the Big East meet with the No. 2 time."
The Irish start off the meet tonight with the long jump. Gilbert will face a challenge from Miami's Joseph Mbayen, who has jumped 7.24 meters in the event this season. Godwin Mbagwu and Eddie Faustin also will take part in the event for the Irish.
"Godwin had a rough week last week — not up to his standards or mine," said Irish field events coach Scott Winsor. "Eddie needs to get on the board. I think he's had three legal jumps in two competitions."
Later this evening, Irish star distance runner Ryan Shay will compete in the 5,000 meters. Shay looks to top Georgetown's Tom Howell, who ran a time of 14:57.91 in December. Marc Striowski will also compete for the Irish.
The final event this evening is the distance medley relay. Because the Big East has introduced qualifying times for the conference championship meet, Notre Dame needs to run the event.
Sean Zanderson leads off for the Irish, running the first three-quarter mile. He then hands off to Bracken, who will run 400 meters. Bracken gives way to Setta, who will run the 800-meter leg. The anchor is John Keane, who runs the final mile.
Freshman Mbagwu looks to remain No. 1 in the Big East in the triple jump Saturday. Sophomore Scott Kelley and senior Chris Marvin look to help make up for Redwine's absence.
In the 35-pound weight throw, sophomore Brian Thornburg looks to improve upon last week's first-place performance. Derek Dyer looks to break out of a rut in the shot-put.
The most entertaining event Saturday will likely be the "Meyo Mile." Although no Notre Dame athlete will be competing, the race attracts some of the nation's best. Drake's Troy Trygstadd leads a pack of runners who have approached the four-minute mark this season.
In the 800 meters, sophomore Doug Gunzelman looks to improve in Andrulonis' absence. Georgetown's Jesse O'Connell has run 1:51 in the event.
Freshman Mark Barber looks to get past the first hurdle in the 60-meter hurdles. Barber, who has been slowed by hitting the first obstacle, has looked good in practice.
"If he can clear the first hurdle, I think he'll run real well," said Millar.
Field events begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, while running events get going at noon.
All Sports Stories for Friday, February 2, 2001
