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Wolverines among favorites to take women's track title

The big three should dominate the women's track and field Big Ten championships again. Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois are poised to take the top three spots for the fourth straight year.

As the defending champions, the Fighting Illini have their work cut out for them. Even without Carmel Corbett, the top performer at last year's championships, Illinois appears to be the team to beat. Last year's Freshman of the Year, Collinus Newsome, has dominated the Big Ten in the shot put, an event in which she holds the national high school record.

The Illini have also excelled in sprints, recording three of the top four times in the 55-meter dash this year, and all four of the top times in the 200.

"It's really simple," Michigan coach James Henry said. "Illinois is by far, probably, the favorite. Illinois has dominated, over the last four or five years, the sprint events."

The Badgers, last year's runners-up, are strongest in their middle distance and long distance events.

Senior Kathy Butler is one of the nation's premier runners in the 5,000 meters. Her time of 16:03.14 is more than 20 seconds faster than the next best finish in the Big Ten so far this season. She also holds the best time in the mile this year.

Wisconsin has also done well in the jumps, and has recorded the best time in the distance medley relay this year. The Badgers will also have home (track and) field advantage at noisy Shell Field.

"Wisconsin has outstanding athletes in every event from the 800 meters on up," Henry said.

Among the other schools, Ohio State and Indiana appear to be the strongest. The Buckeyes feature defending triple-jump champ Shandi Boyd-Pleasant and are strong in most field events. The Hoosiers return the Big Ten's best long jumper in Aisha Shabazz and have solid depth in the middle distances.

Indiana's depth does not compare to Michigan's, though. The Wolverines are the deepest team in the Big Ten and should place someone in the top five of every event.

"We're the most balanced team in the Big Ten," Henry said. "We will have a representative in every event, and that's only the second time that's been done in our school's history."

Michigan will need that balance to score points with second- and third-place finishes, to make up for the probability that it will win few events. The Wolverines have a chance to win the 600 meters with Angela Stanifer, the 3,000 with Courtney Babcock, and all of the jumps with Tania Longe and Monika Black.

One event that might prove crucial is the 200 dash. Although the Illini boast the best four times of the year so far, Michigan returns last year's winner, Tearza Johnson.

"Tearza Johnson is the defending champion in the 200 meters," Henry said. "We will need her to interrupt the dominance that Illinois holds in the sprint events. She is starting to come back to form (after an injury four weeks ago). Last week was the first week that she started to look like her old self again."

The Wolverines are hoping to pick up some points in the sprint events even if the Illini take the top spots. To make up for that, Michigan will rely on Illinois' lack of talent at other events, with special emphasis on throwers.

"After 600 meters (Illinois) doesn't have any athletes that could possibly score," Henry said. "They have one good thrower that won last year, but after that we could take three of the next five spots and make up for that."