Feb. 29, 2004
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermakers' men's track and field team finished fifth at the Big Ten Indoor Championships, despite receiving solid efforts from Kenneth Baxter, Kern Woods and the weight throw trio of Keith McBride, Scott Hecht and Igor Kirin.
Baxter was the men's team only champion during the two-day meet at Michigan, as the team finished with 59 points. The Boilermakers finished behind champion Wisconsin (174.5), Minnesota (122), the host Wolverines (94.5) and Illinois (63); however, they nipped Indiana by one point and gave the Old Gold and Black another point in its Titan Series against the Hoosiers.
Unfortunately, the women's team could not match the men's effort as they placed 10th with 26.5 points. Top-eight scores were contributed by Courtney Magnuson and Astin Steward in the weight throw, T'Nita Waters in the 60-meter dash and Laura Farley, who placed fifth in the mile. Penn State ran away with its first ever team title, scoring 115 points at the University of Iowa Track and Field.
Baxter has won a Big Ten Indoor Championship for two straight seasons, winning the 200-meter dash title in 2003 and the 60 championship this season. Baxter beat out Wisconsin rookie Demi Omole by .03 seconds to claim the gold medal, but was outdistanced by Minnesota's Mitch Potter in his attempt to reclaim the 200-meter championship. Potter crossed the line in 21.09 to Baxter's NCAA provisional mark of 21.19.
Baxter's winning time in the 60 was a 6.73, tying a season best. His top time in the 200 this year is a 21.13, which he recorded at the New York Armory.
Purdue now has won the last two 60-meter dash titles, with Prentice Stovall winning the coveted prize in 2003.
The Boilermakers proved again that they possess the most throwing depth. However, Ohio State's Dan Taylor walked away with his second title of the championships, with a weight throw of 75 feet- 8 1/4 inches.
Taylor's effort railroaded Purdue's attempt to take the first through third spots, as McBride, Hecht and Kirin wound up second, third and fourth. McBride tossed the weight 69-4 1/4, Hecht's landed at the 67- 1/2 mark and Kirin finished with a throw of 63-11 1/2.
Also scoring big points for the Boilermakers was Kern Woods, who captured fifth place in the 60-meter high hurdles, finishing with a season best time of 8.09.
Purdue's next competitions for the indoor season are the USATF Championships Last Chance Meet (March 5 to 6) and the NCAA Indoor Championships (March 14 to 15). Slated to compete on the national stage in Fayetteville, Ark., are Baxter, Hecht, McBride, Kirin, Tiffany Britten and Nedzad Mulabegovic.
Only Mulabegovic in the shot put and McBride in the weight throw have hit the NCAA automatic mark, but the others have consistently hit the provisional standard throughout the indoor season.