EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana men's and women's track and field teams officially open their 2010 indoor season Friday and Saturday when they compete at the Indiana University Gladstein Invitational in Bloomington, Indiana.
Senior All-American Mary Ballinger is expected to lead the women's squad, while sophomore Dustin Emerick and freshman Brendon Devine are expected to lead the men's squad.
Last season, Ballinger earned All-America honors in both the distance medley relay and the 5,000 meters, while fellow classmate Lauren Crick earned All-America honors in the DMR.
Ballinger, who was third in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA II Indoor Championships last March, has already posted an NCAA II provisional qualifying mark in the mile (4:55.24) at the Saluki Fast Start Invitational in December. The national champion in the 3,000-meter steeple chase last spring, Ballinger recently finished fifth at the NCAA II Cross Country Championships.
Emerick is coming off a solid season that saw him capture GLVC Freshman of the Year honors in both indoor and outdoor track. The cross country All-American won the 5,000 meters at the 2009 GLVC Indoor Championships before winning the 10,000 meters at the GLVC Outdoor Championships with a meet-record time of 31 minutes, 12.34 seconds.
Devine, who red-shirted during the 2009 indoor and outdoor track seasons, also earned All-America honors in cross country this past fall after finishing 39th at the NCAA II Cross Country Championships. Devine led the Eagles for much of the cross country season, including the GLVC Championships where he finished third overall.
Following this weekend, USI will compete at the Indiana Relays January 29-30 in Bloomington before participating at the Grand Valley State University Big Meet February 12-13 in Allendale, Michigan. USI also competes at the DePauw University Indoor Invitational February 13 in Greencastle, Indiana, and the Eastern Illinois University Friday Night Special February 19 in Charleston, Illinois.
The GLVC Indoor Championships are February 26-27 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, while the NCAA II Indoor Championships are March 12-13 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
