Men's Track Challenges for Big Ten Crown
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
May 21, 1999
EAST LANSING, Mich. - BIG TEN PREVIEW: The 99th Annual Big Ten Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship will be held Friday, May 21- Sunday, May 23 at Rankin Track and Field at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. Last year, Minnesota captured the outdoor title and is among the 1999 favorites.
BIG TEN OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: The Spartans head to West Lafayette, Ind., hoping to capture an outdoor championship to go with the trophy they won during the indoor season. Michigan State has captured the indoor-outdoor double in 1966 and 1972. MSU also captured the outdoor title in 1965.
SPARTAN HOPES: Although the Spartans surprised many people in the Big Ten by capturing the indoor conference crown, there are many signs that point to a repeat in the outdoor championships. Indoor champions Steve Schell and Jim Jurcevich have already automatically qualified for the NCAAs at 10,000 meters. Schell has also provisionally qualified at 5,000 meters. Additionally, Ryan Taylor and Paul Terek have provisionally qualified in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and decathlon, respectively. Throw in the other athletes who scored points at the indoor championships, and MSU is a legitimate contender for the outdoor title.
SPARTANS TO WATCH
Kyle Baker -- Season Bests -- 1,500 meters (3:54.89) 5,000 meters (14:17.08)
1997 Big Ten Outdoor Champion at 5,000 meters ... also captured 3,000 and 5,000 meter indoor crowns in 1997 ... a three-time All-American, including honors in the 3,000 meters at the 1999 NCAA indoor championships ... at the 1999 Big Ten indoors, he placed in the top three at 3,000 and 5,000 meters.
Jim Jurcevich -- Season Bests -- 5,000 meters (14:21.96) 10,000 meters (28:45.68)
1999 Big Ten Indoor Champion at 5,000 meters, placed second at 3,000 meters ... 1999 indoor All-American at 5,000 meters ... also earned All-America honors during the 1998 indoor and outdoor seasons ... 1999 outdoor automatic qualifier at 10,000 meters.
E.J. Martin -- Season Bests -- 100m (10.60) 110m-hurdles (14.20) 200m (21.38) 400m-H (54.55)
Michigan State's top hurdler and sprinter ... placed 4th in the 60-meter high hurdles at the 1999 Big Ten indoors ... set a meet record at Missouri's Tom Botts Invitational in the 110 meter hurdles.
Steve Schell -- Season Bests -- 5,000 meters (13:57.73) 10,000 meters (28:39.74)
1999 Big Ten Indoor Champion at 3,000 meters, placed second at 5,000 meters ... 1999 indoor All-American at 5,000 meters ... 1999 outdoor automatic qualifier at 10,000 meters, setting a school-record with a time of 28:39.74, sixth-best in Big Ten history ... 1999 outdoor provisional qualifier at 5,000 meters.
Ryan Taylor -- Season Bests -- 1,500 meters (3:47.82) 3,000 meter steeplechase (8:44.53)
1999 NCAA provisional qualifier in the 3,000 meter steeplechase with a school-record time of 8:44.53 ... two top-seven finishes at 1999 Big Ten indoors ... finished fourth in the steeplechase at the 1998 Big Tens and went on to compete at the 1998 NCAA Championships ... ran in the 3,000 meters at the 1999 NCAA indoors.
Paul Terek -- Season Bests -- Decathlon (7,156 pts.) Javelin (187'-10") Pole Vault (16'-6")
1999 NCAA provisional qualifier in the decathlon ... placed second in the decathlon at the 1998 Big Tens ... holds five school records (javelin, indoor pole vault, outdoor pole vault, heptathlon and decathlon) ... placed second in the pole vault and third in the heptathlon at the 1999 indoor Big Tens.
