Jan. 30, 2001
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WHO: Notre Dame men’s track and field team
WHAT: The 14th-annual Meyo Invitational
WHERE: Loftus Sports Center, Notre Dame, Ind.
WHEN:
Friday, Feb. 2, 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 3, 10:30 a.m.
Irish hope to maintain mometum in the Meyo Invitational:
After winning the first two meets of the 2001 indoor season, the Notre Dame men’s track and field team will face a talented list of competitors during the 14th- annual Meyo Invitational set for Friday, Feb. 2, and Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Loftus Sports Center. Teams competing in the Meyo Invitational this year include, Michigan (men only), Tennessee (men only), Miami-FL (men only), Wake Forest, Duke, Missouri and Michigan State. Georgetown, Kentucky, Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan also will be sending competitors to the meet this weekend.
Notre Dame has started the 2001 indoor season off with two impressive victories over the last 14 days. In a season-opening meet with Ball State and Western Michigan, the Irish finished in first place with 125 points.
Against Michigan State last Friday (Jan. 26), Notre Dame beat the Spartans 94-63. Michigan State will get the chance to avenge the loss to the Irish this weekend in the Meyo Invitational.
Early season success:
A few Irish athletes have posted some strong times and individual victories in the first two meets of the year. Sophomore Tom Gilbert (Rock Falls, Ill.) was counted on by the Irish coaching staff to ease the loss of All-American Marshaun West (’97-’00) to graduation in 2001. Gilbert has come through so far this season. An all-BIG EAST performer in the indoor long jump last season, Gilbert has won both 200-meter races he has competed in this season, both long jump events and also won the 60-meter dash against Michigan State.
Junior cross-country All-American Pat Conway (Springfield, Va.) has posted two victories in the mile run this season, warming up for the Meyo Mile, one of the most competitive mile runs of the indoor season that will take place at the meet this weekend. Conway set a personal-best in the mile vs. Michigan State, placing first in 4:11.52.
In the middle distance lane, sophomore Nick Setta (Lockport, Ill.) has made the transition from football place kicker to track sprinter in notable fashion. Setta finished second in the 500 meters (1:04.92) in the first meet of the season, then won the event vs. Michigan State (1:04.97). Against the Spartans, Setta was in fifth place entering the final 200 meters before blowing away the field to win the race.
The Irish field events have been led by Gilbert in the long jump and the combination of junior Quill Redwine (San Antonio, Texas) and freshman Godwin Mbagwu (Petersburg, Va.) in the triple jump, junior Josh Heck (Mishawaka, Ind.) and Nathan Cahill (East Lansing, Mich.) in the pole vault and sophomore Brian Thornburg (Titusville, Fla.) and junior Derek Dyer (Huntington, Ind.) in the throws.
Redwine established himself in the meet vs. Michigan State, taking first in the triple jump and posting a personal best 6-10 3/4 in the high jump to win that event as well. Mbagwu is making the transition to collegiate competition in impressive fashion. The Irish rookie won the first triple jump competition of his career in the season-opening meet (50-4 3/4) and finished second to Redwine against Michigan State. In addition, Mbagwu has finished second to Gilbert in both long jump competitions this season.
Meyo Invitational experience: A number of Irish athletes posted some impressive finishes in last year’s Meyo Invitational. Redwine finished third in the triple jump with a 48-9 1/2 effort. Gilbert ended up in fifth place in the long jump competition (23-6 1/4) and the 200 meters (21.83).
Dyer and senior John Scolaro (Lake Forest, Ill.) both posted top-10 finishes in the shot put. Dyer scored a toss of 49-7 while Scholaro was right behind him at 48-11 1/2).
The highlight of the 2000 Meyo Invitational weekend was the men’s distance medley race. Alabama, Notre Dame and Rice performed one of the best relays of the year on the first day of the meet. The Crimson Tide just edged the Irish at the finish line, but all three teams posted qualifying times for the NCAA championship meet. Notre Dame’s distance medley team would eventually finish sixth at the 2000 NCAA indoor championships in Fayetteville, Ark.
In the Meyo Mile last season, Jay Cantin from Michigan broke the four-minute barrier (3:59.90) while Notre Dame’s Luke Watson (Stillwater, Minn.), who will be sidelined for the race this year, posted a personal-best time of 4:06.75.