Dave Harris admits to not feeling as ready for today’s season-opening meet as some of his athletes.
“For most of the team, it’s been three weeks coming,” the Emporia State track and field coach said. “For me, it’s been four days.”
Less than a week after joining four of his athletes at the Indoor National Track and Field Meet in Boston, Mass., Harris will lead his outdoor team into today’s ESU Spring Twilight at Welch Stadium. Competition will start at 1 p.m. with the field events.
“We’re going to see where we’re at and what we can do,” Harris said.
Nearly 300 athletes from 12 schools along with unattached competitors will participate in today’s event.
It will be the only meet for ESU before spring break next week.
“We need to get rolling,” Harris said, “so after we come back, we can hit things hard for a month.”
The Hornets have the top entries in two of the men’s events and two of the women’s events.
Indoor Nationals participants Jonel Rossbach, Eric Wellman and Trent Olivier have three of those top marks.
After competing last Friday and Saturday in Boston, Rossbach will run in the 800, Wellman will participate in the 5,000-meter run, and Olivier will throw in the discus.
“They all wanted to (compete),” Harris said. “It’s probably because they know they can take a break afterwards.”
Kara Euler also enters with the top 400-meter entry time.
Harris said he also was interested in seeing how some of his young participants would fare.
Among them are Emporia High graduate Skyler Delmott and fellow freshman David Gibson, who will run in the steeplechase.
Harris said he also would pay close attention to Connie Phillips, who will compete in the javelin for the Hornets. Her last outdoor meet for ESU was at the NCAA Championships in 2005, where she earned All-American honors after placing sixth.
Andy Vogelsberg, the Division-II National Champion in the javelin last season, will not compete. He likely will open in ESU’s next meet at UT-Arlington on March 31.
Kansas State and Northern Iowa are two of the Division-I schools taking part in the event. Northern Iowa has used the ESU facilities and weight room since Sunday.
Missouri also will participate, bringing its traditionally strong throwers to the event.
Field events start at 1 p.m., with the running events beginning at 2.
Finals on the track will begin at 4 and end with the Charles Wilhite 1,600-meter relay at 7:30.