2007 Men's Track Preview

AMES, Iowa - In his 14th season as head coach of the Iowa State men's track and field team Steve Lynn will rely primarily on the leadership of his returnees for success during the 2007 indoor and outdoor seasons.

Leading off for the sprinters will be seniors Elijah Braimah and Jared Graham. Braimah, a Baton Rouge, La., native, will start the 2007 indoor season after coming off a successful 2006 outdoor campaign. Braimah struggled during the 2006 indoor season due to injury, but was able to make a strong return outdoors by qualifying for the NCAA Midwest Regional in the 400 meters. Graham, of Neola, Iowa, will return after redshirting the 2006 season.

Senior Kellen Burl and sophomore Eric Parker will be the Cyclone hurdlers this season. Both were members of the 2006 Drake Relays champion shuttle hurdle relay team and helped lead the Cyclones throughout the 2006 campaign. Teammate Sterling Frison and R.J. Sumrall will also compete in the hurdles for Iowa State, rounding out a strong quartet.

“Kellen and Eric have been one and two in practice and I expect them to continue to perform at a high level,” Lynn said. “The competition between all of our sprinters will be intense and I think we'll see good things from them.”

Despite losing top runner and two-time All-American David Rotich, the ISU distance and middle distance programs will still be strong with the return of Kiel Uhl and Guor Majak. Both redshirted the 2006 track season. Newcomer Kevin Born is ready after a good cross country season. Uhl and Majak earned all-Big 12 honors and Uhl and Born claimed all-region recognition in cross country. Uhl went on to compete in the NCAA Cross Country Championships for the second consecutive year.

“We hope to spring forward with the guys that ran well during cross country,” head cross country and assistant track coach Corey Ihmels said. “Kiel and Guor ran very well and Kevin Born had a great cross country season and we hope he steps it up during track and does a great job. I think we've got a good group and obviously we've had some success in the cross country season and we just want to move forward and have a good year in the distance areas in track.”

Ihmels is also looking for a standout season from Brandon Rooney. Rooney, a sophomore for the Cyclones, had a limited 2006 cross country season. He will test himself this spring mostly in the middle distance area.

“Somebody that was not accustomed to and didn't get a chance to compete as much as he wanted to and a person we expect more from this year is Brandon Rooney,” Ihmels said. “Hopefully he has a big year in the middle distances.”

Another top returnee for the Cyclones will be Iowa native Chase Madison. Madison finished 11^th at the 2006 NCAA Track and Field Championships in the discus and took third in the event at the 2006 Big 12 Championships. Madison fought a wrist injury during the 2006 season, preventing him from competing at high levels in the shot put. Coming into the 2007 season, Madison continues to battle a new foot injury, but looks to get healthy and return once again as a strong force in the Big 12 and the nation.

“(Chase) has a chance to be one of the top three guys in the shot put,” said throws coach Dan O'Mara. “Unfortunately, it will take him a little more time to practice. Outdoors he will definitely be someone you remember. We're excited and we just need to be patient in getting him healthy for the shot, because he is one of the top three guys in the conference if he is healthy and ready to go. We are just fighting hand injuries, foot injuries, and wrist injuries.”

Multi-event performer Neil Hines will compete in his final season as a Cyclone. Hines qualified for the 2006 NCAA Championships in the decathlon, but had to withdraw from the competition due to a hip injury. Hines is healthy and will start off the indoor season working on individual events before competing in the heptathlon at the Feb. 9-10 ISU Classic in Ames.

The Cyclones will introduce 15 newcomers to the team. Jared Lewis and Julian Morris will be strong in the sprints as well as in the jumps along with newcomer Stefan Tauber.

“We have some time to work with these guys and I expect them to become big competitors in not only the Big 12, but possibly also in the nation,” jumps coach Ron McEachran said.

The Iowa State men's track and field team will make their season debut at the ISU Open on January 19-20 at the Lied Recreation-Athletic Facility in Ames, Iowa. In addition to the ISU Classic, the Cyclones play host to the Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships Feb. 23-24 in the Lied Recreation-Athletic Facility. Iowa State will host an NCAA qualifier meet March 3.

Players Mentioned

Elijah Braimah

Elijah Braimah

Kellen Burl

Jared Graham

Neil Hines

Chase Madison

Julian Morris

Eric Parker

Eric Parker

Brandon Rooney

R.J. Sumrall

Stefan Tauber

Kiel Uhl

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