Central Michigan Life

Issue date: 2/8/08 Section: Sports

Senior pole vaulter Joe Hasler and the men's track and field team travel to Notre Dame today. [Click to enlarge]

The men's track and field team will compete today in a meet it has been preparing for all season.

The Meyo Invitational in Notre Dame, Ind., is a two-day event. Top track and field programs from all over the country will take part.

"This will be the most competitive setting we will see all year," said coach Jim Knapp. "It gives us an indication of where we're at relative to some really good competition. This meet prepares the athletes for what they are going to see in the MAC Championships in terms of competitiveness and pressure."

Central will get a chance to compete against some Mid-American Conference schools at the meet, including Kent State and Eastern Michigan. Others schools expected to compete are the University of Michigan, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Wisconsin, Iowa and Purdue.

CMU did not compete last weekend.

In the 2007 Meyo Invitational, senior Fermon Tate finished in the top 25 in the 400-meter dash and placed sixth in the 500m run.

"The guys have been doing a lot of fine-tuning this week trying to get themselves prepared for this weekend," said senior co-captain pole vaulter Joe Hasler.

In Notre Dame's last scored event, the Notre Dame Invitational, the Irish finished first against Michigan State and Marquette. Freshman Greg Davis led the way for the Irish by winning the weight toss by more than one meter.

Michigan sophomore Frank Shotwell was named Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week on Tuesday after a school record performance in the heptathlon last Saturday in Akron.

Purdue also hasn't competed in two weeks. Its last competition was a home meet on Jan. 26. Freshman Josh Hembrough had a first-place finish in the 60m hurdles and led the team to a first-place finish.

The Crimson Tide put together a season-best time of 3 minutes, 10 seconds in the 1,600m relay last Saturday.

"This meet is important because it allows the guys to get on the track in a really competitive environment," Hasler said. "The meet gives them a chance to put all the hard work they have been doing the last couple weeks on the line."



sports@cm-life.com

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