ISU Will Split Squad Again

AMES, Iowa -- The Iowa State men's track and field team is scheduled to split up for the third consecutive weekend as some sprinters and distance runners travel to Norman, Okla. for the John Jacobs Collegiate Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The rest of the ISU squad remains in-state for Saturday's Jim Duncan Invitational at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.

The distance runners in Oklahoma will be competing in events they usually don't contest, for training purposes. Junior Jared Lewis and senior Jared Graham are also traveling to Oklahoma hoping to regionally qualify in the 200-meter and the 400-meter dashes, respectively.

The Cyclones are coming off a frustrating weekend in which the weather held up their competition plans. The Messersmith Invite at Cedar Falls was cancelled and the Texas Relays' featured inclement conditions.

Senior Neil Hines lifted ISU's spirits when he provisionally qualified in the decathlon last Thursday in Austin, Texas, scoring a career-best 7,314 points. The provisional NCAA qualifying mark is 6,900 points and his previous personal best was 7,259 points.

Events begin Friday in Norman for Iowa State with the 800-meter run at 8:10 p.m. In Des Moines, events begin Saturday at 10 a.m.