By Adam Hensley
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Starting on Friday, Big Ten teams will put their best athletes to the test in the Indoor Track Championships.

The Iowa men’s track team will send a strong team coming off numerous personal bests. The Hawkeyes have five athletes in the top five in their events, as well as a 1,600-meter relay that ranks third in the Big Ten. But Iowa will not be the only team to keep an eye out for.

Of all the races this weekend, the 60-meter hurdles will be a can’t-miss event.

Iowa’s Aaron Mallett leads the conference in the race (7.71), but Nebraska’s Oladapo Akinmoladun is 0.03 seconds behind the junior.

Nebraska head coach Gary Pepin knows that the stakes will be high — the key is for the athletes to focus on the task at hand and not get caught up in whom to beat.

“Aaron is the man to beat. It should be a good race, but each athlete has to run his own race,” he said. “I hope that we can perform to the best of the capabilities that our athletes possess. I believe all you can ask for is that your athletes have prepared well and that they compete up to their God-given abilities.”

Last season, Nebraska came out on top in the indoor championships, putting up 127 points (beating second-place Illinois by 41).

To keep things closer than last year, Illinois will depend on senior Dylan Lafond, who broke the school records in the 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters. He leads the conference in the 5,000 and is fifth in the 3,000.

But for Illinois, the key to a successful Big Ten meet is simple, head coach Michael Turk said.

“Good attitudes, keep their heads on straight,” he said. “We are so young, but it’s been fun to see guys stepping into new roles.”

Fighting Lafond for the top spot in the conference, Michigan State’s Caleb Rhynard has made a considerable effort to keep pace in the 5,000 meters.

While he is arguably the Spartan’s best distance runner, the major strength of the team lies in the field events.

Michigan State uses three throwers (Vinny Gjokaj, Connor Kostrzewa, and Riley Norman) who are in the top four in the conference in the weight throw.

“Our throwers have made great progress all winter,” head coach Walt Drenth said. “The throws seem like a strength as mentioned; we do our best to emphasize the throws but do our best to remain a balanced program.”

But while Michigan State holds the best group of throwers in the conference, Purdue possessed arguably the best individual in the Big Ten.

Chukwuebuka Enekwechi leads the Big Ten in the weight throw and is second in the shot put. This weekend will be a test as to whether a strong effort by the Spartans can knock off one of the nation’s best throwers.

Led by Enekwechi, Purdue is the highest ranked Big Ten team in the country, 15th in the latest poll (Monday).

Penn State dropped to No. 17 after being ranked 14th the previous week. It heads into the championship with one of fastest, and most balanced, teams in the conference.

The Nittany Lion’s Xavier Smith leads the Big Ten in the 60 meters, and his teammate Malik Moffett sits atop the 200 meters.

“Last year, [Smith] was the first person out in the 200. He went back to work over the summer and fall and has really improved himself as an athlete, and I am excited to see what he can do this weekend,” Penn State head coach John Gondak said. “Malik is heading into his first Big Ten meet and has had a very successful year in the 60 meters, 200 meters, and long jump. He will have a busy weekend ahead.”

Brannon Kidder leads the conference in the 800.

“Brannon has won numerous Big Ten championships in his time at Penn State,” Gondak said. “He will run the [distance medley relay] and either the 800 or mile this weekend, so he hopes to make his fourth Indoor Big Ten his best.”

Penn State has the fastest distance medley relay in the Big Ten.

Overall, each team in the Big Ten possesses at least one athlete in the top two of his individual event, making this year’s conference championship one of the most competitive meets to date.