With lowered workloads and the lack of a full team, it's obvious the Ball State men's track is priming for the Mid-American Conference Championships soon.
In their final meet before the MAC Championships, the Cardinals return to Bloomington for the Hoosier Hills meet after a two-week absence since the Indiana Invitational Feb. 6-7.
Senior Paul Panning broke the BSU school record in the pole vault at the Indiana Invitational, with a mark of 17-5 12.
The team is most recently coming off a competitive low-key meet, the Findlay Open, hosted by the University of Findlay. It had several top finishes, including Panning's mark of 17-0 34, which set a Malcolm Athletic Center record.
"Findlay helped out a lot because of the caliber of athletes that were there, especially the pro athletes," head coach Jermaine Jones said. "(The team) has been in some pretty high-power meets this year."
Jones does not expect a high level of competition, though, at the Hoosier Hills meet, as most teams around the country are also preparing for upcoming conference meets.
"I am expecting some good performances, and with this tuning down, it will give us a chance to put some people in other events they wouldn't normally do," Jones said.
A full team will not be taken -- particularly, no long jumpers -- so as to get their legs rested for MAC. However, some athletes will be participating in more events than usual to let them see where they may participate at MAC.
The men's weight throw will be a key event, an area the Cardinals have been lacking throughout the year, partly due to an injury that has left top thrower junior Kyle Cleaver out for most of the season.
"Coming off my injury has been kind of hard, but I want to make the most of the rest of this indoor season," Cleaver said. "I hope I do well at IU and then keep on going from there. I'm pretty confident at the moment."
The top weight thrower has finished an average of eighth place in the four meets throughout the indoor season. Sophomore Jeremy Gillingham was the top finisher in three of those meets.
The Cards have lacked a scoring atmosphere this season, with no scored meets, which could have an effect on how they perform at the MAC. However, the two-day Indiana Invitational gave the team a feel for a scored meet situation.
"We would have liked to (have a scored meet), but it doesn't have an effect, as long as you at least get some meets with the two-day format. That way, you can get that championship meet atmosphere," Jones said.
The Hoosier Hills meets is set to start at 4 p.m. Friday at the Gladstein Fieldhouse in Bloomington.
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