Though the Ball State University track and field team will play host to the Ball State University Quadrangular at 4 p.m., coach Randy Heisler is not happy about it.
Today's meet comes one week before the Feb. 29 Mid-American Conference indoor-championship meet and Heisler said he's opposed to the proximity of the two.
"This meet, in my opinion, is crazy," Heisler said. "To have a scored meet one week before the conference meet - we're the only conference in the country that does it."
Heisler said he would rather keep everyone healthy for the conference meet than risk overworking any of his athletes. For that reason, he's not planning to enter his best athletes in more than one or two races each, he said, even if doing so would help the team score more points.
It's the same strategy he used for Ball State's success last year, Heisler said.
"Last year there were four teams in this meet, and we got third," Heisler said of the Ball State University Quadrangular. "Interestingly enough, we got third in the conference a week later, and those other three teams finished farther back.
"This sport is about peaking and performing at the right time," he said.
Heisler said the meet, which begins at 4 p.m. at the Field Sports Building, is still important and his Cardinals will compete to win.
Junior Lauren McNichols also recognized the significance of this meet. In several events, McNichols said, athletes are fighting to earn spots in the MAC meet.
"This meet is important; it's going to show us where we're at," said McNichols, who competes in the pole vault and the high jump for the Cardinals. "We're rested for the meet, and we've got some really good competition - good enough to really push you."
The competition this year includes MAC opponents Western Michigan University and Miami University. The fourth team, Northern Illinois University, canceled or rescheduled all athletics events through Feb. 24, following the shooting on campus on Feb. 14.
The Cardinals are returning to competition for the Quadrangular after they withdrew from last week's Hoosier Hills meet in Bloomington because of illness, Heisler said. He said his athletes are now rested and as healthy as he's seen them in a month.
As Ball State wraps up the indoor regular season tonight, McNichols said she and the rest of the Cardinals are happy to be back home.
"I love it because people on campus can go," McNichols said. "So many people don't even know that we have a track team because we don't get much publicity, and we don't have any outdoor meets."
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