Cornell Invitational kicks off indoor season

The Cornell men's and women's teams won't stray too far from home this indoor track and field season. In fact, the Rams compete outside their own arena only twice over the next two months.

The 2012 schedule brings forth three home meets and a pair of close in-state events leading up to March. It all gets going Saturday when the Rams host the Cornell Invitational in the Small Multi-Sport Center Arena.

This weekend's field includes Iowa Conference foe Coe, along with NAIA's Mount Mercy, St. Ambrose and Grand View. Field events begin at 10 a.m., with the first running event slotted for 11:50 a.m. The meet concludes with the men's 4x400 relay at 2:45 p.m.

Cornell is idle the next weekend before hosting the Hilltop Invitational Feb. 3-4. The Rams travel to Grinnell for the Darren Young Invitational Feb. 11, and compete at Dubuque's Spartan Open Feb. 18. Cornell then hosts the Iowa Conference Indoor Championships Feb. 24-25. The NCAA Division III Indoor Championships are March 9-10 at Grinnell.

Head coach Lonnie Speidel's program has crowned an indoor All-American in each of the past three seasons. The team graduated a good one last year in Kirkwood Donavin, a six-time IIAC champion who placed third in the mile at indoor nationals. He was named Most Valuable Track Performer at the 2011 IIAC indoor meet.

"We had some big losses, but we have a lot of good guys coming back," said Speidel, entering his 12th season at the helm. "We have a lot of talent returning, with 10 seniors to help lead the men's team."

The men's team has 23 letterwinners on its 39-man preseason roster, eight of which earned all-conference accolades a year ago. Seniors Adam Rooyakkers, Marshall Kraker and Scott Riedel will serve as team captains.

Rooyakkers heads the group as a four-time conference relay champion and 2011 800-meter outdoor runner-up. He ran with seniors Chris Stadler and Riedel on Cornell's 4x800 relay, which claimed both indoor and outdoor IIAC titles last season. Rooyakkers and Stadler were members of the championship distance medley relay at the 2011 conference indoor meet. Rooyakkers was also on the winning 4x800 IIAC indoor relay as a sophomore.

Senior Chase Nowak is a four-time all-conference performer, placing in the top three last year in the 3000, 5000 and 10000. He won the 10000 outdoor title in 2010. Speidel also expects senior Ben Jacobs to be a factor in the distance races. Jacobs is coming off a strong cross country season in which he qualified for the national meet.

The Rams bring back seniors Matt McGowan, Riedel and junior Andy Harter to the 4x400 relay which placed third at IIAC outdoors. Sophomore Anthony Bridges gained all-IIAC honors in the pole vault, placing second at indoors and third at outdoors. Kraker took third in the outdoor javelin last spring.

"We have some real good depth and a lot of experience on our team. I am excited about our freshman talent too," Speidel said. "I think it will be a good year for us."

Speidel will work with a smaller women's squad of 20 athletes, which includes 13 returning letterwinners. Senior Anna Guittar joins juniors Christal Harris and Leslie Smebak as team captains.

"This is where we're at numbers-wise, and we can't feel sorry for ourselves," Speidel said. "There is some talent on this team. They all have to step up and do the best they can."

Speidel has high hopes for the versatile Harris, who set school records in both the pentathlon (2,957 points) and heptathlon (4,115) last season as a sophomore. Harris was an NCAA provisional qualifier in the heptathlon, placing fourth at the IIAC outdoor meet.

"Christal had a great year last year," Speidel said. "I am looking for her to have a big season."

Junior Leslie Smebak and sophomore Laura Ettlin head the distance runners. Smebak is coming off a solid cross country season in which she garnered all-conference honors. Ettlin ran on Cornell's school-record 4x800 relay last year.

Sophomore Melissa Kraker (jumps) and freshman Madison Acree (throws) will lead the Rams in the field events. Cornell graduated one of the program's top throwers in Madison Craw. She was a three-time national qualifier in the shot put, and outdoor school-record holder in the event.