Red Wolves - IU East

The Red Wolves hope the 2010 outdoor track and field season starts at the same place it finishes - at the site of the NAIA National Championships.

The Indiana University East outdoor track and field season begins March 27 at the Polar Bear Invitational at Indiana Wesleyan University.

Indiana Wesleyan also is the home of the NAIA National Championships, scheduled for May 27-29.

IU East will field a full track and field team for the first time in the spring of 2011, but current Red Wolves athletes who expressed an interest in track and field will compete in select events this spring.

IU East athletes who compete in track and field this spring will have one goal: Qualify for the national meet.

Junior Vanessa Legg (Lynn, Ind./Randolph Southern High School) will become the first IU East athlete to take part in an NAIA track and field competition when she participates in the high jump at the Polar Bear Invitational.

Legg has high-jumped 5-3 in practices.

The minimum qualifying mark for the NAIA National Championships is 5-5.

"I was thrilled to be able to take part in track and field this year," Legg said. "I was excited that I get to high jump again."

Sophomore Kait Ervin (West Alexandria, Ohio/Twin Valley South High School) will compete in the shot put and discus.

Ervin has personal bests of 35-10 in the shot put and 123-11 in the discus.

The minimum qualifying marks for the NAIA National Championships are 41-3 in the shot put and 134-11 in the discus.

"It's good to be part of a growing program," Ervin said. "I can be part of establishing a good team from the start."

Legg and Ervin will compete in up to three regular season meets.

More current IU East athletes will join the squad for the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference track and field meet April 24 at Berea College.

Click here to view the 2010 IU East track and field schedule

Click here to view the 2010 IU East track and field roster