Penn State, Purdue to challenge Badgers

Editor's note: This is the final part of a two-part series previewing the 1997 Big Ten Women's Track and Field championships.

It looks as if Wisconsin will be the only team challenging powerhouse Illinois at the 1997 Big Ten indoor women's track and field championships. Teams such as Penn State and Purdue may surprise those who think the Badgers and the Illini have the tournament sewn up.

Here's a look at the Lady Lions and some of the teams they will compete with this year.

Minnesota

Last year, the Gophers finished last at the Big Ten championships. This year, the Gophers will probably repeat that performance.

They have some runners in the top 10 of the conference's various events, but none of their performances can seriously challenge their conference rivals.

Chanteau White is ranked fourth in the 55-meter dash and Daphne Pachmysen is sixth in the 3,000-meter run.

Ohio State

One of the reasons the Buckeyes didn't finish lower than seventh last year was the shot put and the jumping events.

Junior Erika Goines finished second in the shot put last year. Her throw was good enough for an NCAA provisional qualification. Shandi Boyd-Pleasant finished second in the triple jump, but the Buckeyes lost her to graduation. Junior triple jumper Tameika Porter, who finished sixth in the event last year, figures to carry the torch for the Buckeyes.

Whether or not they continue their success in the Big Tens is yet to be determined.

Penn State

The Lady Lions are a veteran team, but they have some new faces who have contributed. Susanne Heyer filled the void in the Lady Lions' Big Ten second-ranked distance medley relay team.

But the Lady Lions will have to contend with Wisconsin and Illinois in the distance events. The Badgers lead the pack in events such as the 800-meter run, the mile, the 3,000-meter run and the 5,000-meter run. The Illini aren't too far behind.

This year marks the final year for Lady Lion standouts Erin St. John and Kim McGreevy, so Penn State may want to make its mark in the conference this year and move up from their fourth-place standing a year ago.

Purdue

The Boilermakers' strongest event may be the 400-meter dash. Kendra Jones, Meisha Wilson-Duval and Khadijah Conda are third, sixth and eighth in the event, respectively.

Beth Reid is picking up where Corissa Yasen left off in the high jump. Yasen set a Big Ten record last year with a jump of 1.84 meters. Reid is currently the fourth best high jumper in the Big Ten.

The 4x400 relay team and distance medley relay team are third and fifth, respectively, in the Big Ten this year. This is a young squad, and if it doesn't finish high in the tournament this year, it may become a big threat in the future.

"We can do a lot this year," coach Ben Paolillo said. "We surprised a lot of people last year."

Wisconsin

The Badgers have at least two athletes in the top 10 of five events. The strength of this team is in its distance running.

"We have what it takes to win the Big Ten," coach Peter Tegen said. "There's a lot of good competition, and Illinois will give us a run but we're ready."

The Badgers are led by Kathy Butler, who finished first in the mile with an NCAA automatic and provisional qualification last year. She also finished first in the 3,000-meter run and the 5,000-meter run with NCAA provisional qualifying times. Butler is the current leader in the Big Ten in the above categories. Other Buckeyes to watch include Jenni Westphal and Angie Kujak.