by Todd Burns
Daily Lobo
The UNM track team will compete in the Mountain West Conference indoor track meet in Colorado Springs, Colo., this weekend.
The race for the No. 1 track team in the MWC began on Thursday with the men and women's pentathlon. Senior Keren Sari-Bentzur, UNM's pentathlon record holder, leads the women's side. Junior Mark Johnson heads the Lobo men in an attempt to repeat his second place finish from last year.
The main competition begins today with preliminary races and ends Saturday with the finals. Field event finals in the shot put, weight toss, pole vault, high jump, triple jump and long jump also takes place on Saturday.
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Assistant coach Mark Henry said he expects some good performances from several individuals. Sari-Bentzur will battle in the long jump, triple jump and high jump on Saturday after completing the pentathlon. Sophomore transfer Bridgid Isworth is expected to maintain her current first place MWC ranking in the pole vault. She currently holds the UNM women's track record in the vault with a jump of 13 feet 2 inches.
The coaches anticipate a good run from the men's distance medley relay along with the 4x400m relay.
"They never expect New Mexico to do well," Henry said. "But I expect a good showing and our athletes feel the same way."
Juniors Matt Bishop and Chris Garofola said they predict the 4x400m relay will run well and they hope to cross the finish line before Brigham Young University.
"I'm confident in my teammates that we will beat the 'church' (BYU)," Garofola said. "We have the capability, the heat, the speed and the confidence."
Garofola recently set the school record in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.96 seconds and the 60-meter high hurdles with a run of 8.18 seconds.
Assistant volunteer weight coach Matt Kraft said Colorado State University has the capabilities to take all eight places in the men's and women's shot put and weight throw, but said that CSU has to look out for a few UNM athletes. Junior Jason Barkermeyer and Amanda Barnes have the potential to sneak into a few of those spots.
"If I throw like I want to and need to, I'll finish fourth or fifth," Barnes said.
The coaching staff also said it has confidence in several of the distance runners. Sophomore Matt Gonzales has already racked up two victories in the 3,000-meter with a best time of 8:18.35.
"Things have slowed down a little this year," Ortega said. "But it's the championships, so I'll step it up a notch. I want to win the 5K."
Last year both the men and women finished in fifth place at the indoor conference meet. Henry predicted that BYU and CSU would finish first and second respectively while the Lobos' men's team will fight for third with the Air Force Academy. He also said that the women's team is a little shorthanded this year, but he expects some great individual performances.
Junior Sean Flaherty, senior Mike Pestorich, freshman Dan Feltman, sophomore Amber Nolte, sophomore Erin Teske, freshmen Sandra Maxwell and Kimila Davis and junior Sarah Gonzales are just a few names to watch for this weekend.
Competition got underway yesterday and continues through Saturday, March. 1. This clash of Mountain West titans is being held at the Air Force Academy at the Cadet Field House in Colorado Springs, Colo.
