Home meet to be used as rest weekend for women’s squad

One week is all that is left for Minnesota’s women’s track and field team to prepare for the Big Ten Championships in Wisconsin.

That final preparation will be Saturday against some less formidable Division II and III competition at the University Field House.

Assistant coach Matt Bingle said the team’s approach this weekend is to stay relaxed.

“I told all the girls that we want to feel good on Monday," Bingle said. “Compared to the Iowa State meet and Notre Dame, the atmosphere is a lot lighter, and I think that’s a good thing to do before a conference meet."

Relaxing is what long-distance runner Emily Brown will do. She is not going to run. Neither will Heather Dorniden, who set or helped set four school records in the past two meets.

Sprinter Kadian Douglas will perform at the meet.

“Well, I haven’t set my 60 (meter) (personal record) yet, for this year," Douglas said. “If I could get my PR this weekend, it would be a good boost for me going into next weekend."

One last time for men

Minnesota’s men’s track and field team also will participate in their last indoor meet this weekend before the Big Ten Championships.

The men will hold their meet Friday at the University Field House against Division II and III competition as well.

“Basically it’s just an opportunity for people to just feel the competitive setting rehearsed," coach Phil Lundin said. “So they know what they have to do for the Big Ten."

Lundin also said he doesn’t know if he will rest any particular runners or field athletes this weekend.

However, he said the long and high jumpers have been resting this week in hopes of them getting back on track.

“They needed a weekend off, because we’re getting a little beat-up and tired," Lundin said. “So, the hope is that we’ll have some breakthrough in regards to some of the horizontal jumps and keep some of the high jumpers back in to it, the 7-foot range."