'M' runners take nine events in Red Simmons Invitational By Ron Garber Daily Sports Writer The Michigan men's track and field team tuned up for the Big Ten Championship meet with an impressive showing this past Saturday at the Red Simmons Invitational. The Wolverines won nine out of the fifteen events. The non-scoring meet featured several area university teams as well as club runners from the Ann Arbor Track and Nike Club teams. Five Wolverines won their events and several others posted impressive performances. As usual, the distance runners were the headliners. Junior Mike Wisniewski and senior Jay Cantin finished third and fourth respectively in the 3000-meter race. Their posted times of 8:18:09 and 8:18:39 met NCAA provisional standards, meaning both runners will likely represent Michigan at the National Championship meet in May. In addition, sophomore Jeremy Schneider won the 800-meter and junior Dan Snyder turned in an impressive performance in the 600-meter. "Our distance guys are machines," senior sprinter Stephen Molnar said. "Their points are almost automatic and they never even miss a race." Although paced by the distance group, the Wolverines got big showings in the sprints and field events. John Sellers dominated all sprinters winning the 400-meter race with a time of 49:48. Sophomore Ike Okenwa took second place in his race, however it was the 200-meter, not his usual 60-meter. "We didn't want to work Ike too hard," Molnar said. "He doesn't really need much more work in the 60, so he got some rest." Molnar and senior Steve Jenkins filled in for Okenwa quite nicely, finishing fifth and sixth place respectively, and sophomore Derek Applewhite won the hurdles. Michigan was seemingly without weakness, also posting two victories in the field events. Senior Patrick Johansson won the weight throw and junior Charles DeWildt was victorious in the pole vault, clearing a height of 17-1. The versatility displayed this weekend bodes well for a Michigan team that can seemingly score points anywhere as they prepare to tangle with their conference foes in the Big Ten Championships. KRISTIN GOBLE/Daily The Michigan men's track team won nine of 15 events this past weekend in a tune-up meet for the Big Ten Championship. Originally on page 3B in the 1-24-2000 issue of the Daily.