The Jambar

Issue date: 2/9/10 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Photo courtesy of YSU sports information

As the Horizon League Indoor Track and Field Championships draw nearer, the Youngstown State University track and field teams try to run and throw their way to an indoor championship.

Head coach Brian Gorby said trying to win the indoor title on the women's side of the equation wouldn't be easy. A couple of key components are being redshirted to preserve the outdoor and next season rosters such as senior Alisha Anthony, last season's Horizon League Most Outstanding Field Performer. She also has two more years of eligibility remaining for the outdoor season.

Thrower Danielle Curry is also sitting out this indoor season. Curry was a key component for the Penguins in the 2009 Horizon League women's indoor championship.

Senior Lauren Blase will be one of the athletes the women's team will rely on to win the Horizon League indoor crown.

"She's on a record-breaking tear," Gorby said of the senior.

Blase broke the mile record at the Penn State National, which features a heavy-hitting field of elite runners from all around the country. Former Penguin Emily Cicero held the previous mile record at 5:01.41 for six years. Blase bested the time with a mile run of 5:00.99.

Gorby says Blase has trimmed a significant amount of time off her mile run since she's been a Penguin. Gorby pointed out that when Blase was a freshman, she ran a mile time of 5:14. She now runs a time of almost five minutes flat.

Gorby strongly feels Blase will hold every single Penguin record.

"She's one of the best long-distance runners this program has ever seen," Gorby said. "You have to be dedicated to run 10, 12, 14 miles on your own or with teammates in this kind of weather to be that good."

Another key athlete on the women's side is freshman Symona Gregory. Gregory has posted times of 7.97 in the 60-meter dash and 25.95 in the 200-meter run. She finished first in the 60-meter dash at the Tom Wright Classic in Bowling Green.

On the men's side, a key component to the success of the Penguins is Aaron Merril. Merrill, a top-30 thrower in the nation, has placed in the top five in every event this season. Merrill will be a key component on the men's side to try to dethrone the champion, the University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin, at the Horizon League indoor championships.

"It's going to be a challenge to compete on the men's side because we have a bunch of redshirt freshman," Gorby said.

Gorby said the new indoor facility would be a key equalizer to re-establishing dominance on the women's and men's sides. The women and men finished second to the Milwaukee Panthers in the indoor season. The Panthers are the only team to have an indoor facility for track and field. Gorby said once the Penguins get the facility, it would be a fairer fight to the top of the indoor standings.

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