Photo courtesy of IU Athletics: 

Expectations are high for an Indiana track and field team after finishing second at the Big Ten Indoor championships just a year ago.

The Hoosiers come into this season expecting to finish first.

“We’re gonna win it, we’re gonna win it, ”IU sprinter Kind Butler said.

Butler firmly believes that IU has the talent this year and fully expects his team to be holding up a trophy at the end of the season.

Butler comes into the season as one of the fastest runners in the country. He has his eyes not only focused on the Big Ten Championships, but also on June 16: the Olympic trials held in Eugene, Oregon.

“I’m really thinking about June 16^th, the Olympic Trials, trying to get to that point,” Butler said.

Butler believes it can be a special season for both the team and himself.

Kind isn’t the only Hoosier with the Olympic trials as a goal for the end of the season. Two Canadians both look to be competing for their country at the trials.

Distance runner Ben Hubers and high jumper Derek Drouin are hopeful that they can represent Canada in the 2012 Olympics. Hubers has it in the back of his mind, but knows he has to focus on the Big Ten season at hand.

“I would like to go to the Canadian Olympic Trials later on, but that will come when it comes,” Hubers said.

Hubers won the Big Ten outdoor 1500 championship last year, and at the Indiana Open narrowly missed the D1 qualifying time for the 5K. Hubers was not disappointed however, as its only December and he was six seconds off his career best.

Drouin also has a great shot at the trials as he comes back rated as the best high jumper in the country.

Redshirting this indoor season, Drouin was the NCAA indoor high jump champion last year. He won the meet with a jump of seven feet-seven inches.

Hubers also believes that this team has the opportunity to take home the Big Ten title. Anything less would be a disappointment.

“We have high expectations… I don’t think we’re going to be happy unless we win, and that’s goes for every meet we compete at,” Hubers said.

Although confident, getting by in this Big Ten season will prove difficult for the Hoosiers.

Minnesota comes back as the defending indoor champs, and Iowa won the outdoor championships in Iowa City. Not to mention the National Champions from Cross Country, the Wisconsin Badgers.

Indiana finished seventh at the cross-country championships and the distance runners are looking to build on that success.

With lofty expectations, Hubers knows it’s going to be a challenge. The talent in the Big Ten is second to none.

“It might as well be the same field, I feel like the Big Ten is so challenging as a conference a lot of the people you see there we’ll see at nationals,” Hubers said.

Head Coach Ron Helmer also thinks that if the chips fall in the right place, his team should be in good shape.

“I think we have enough pieces that if we keep filling in some gaps here and there, we should have a shot at competing as well,” Helmer said.

Confidence starts at the top and Helmer believes special things are possible this year. This display of uncanny leadership will surely help Helmer get the most out of his athletes during both the indoor and outdoor seasons.

Aside from Drouin, Hubers, and Butler there are many more key contributors on this Indiana team.

Coming back from last year’s team, include distance runner Andrew Poore, middle distance runner- De’Sean Turner, and sprinters Tyler Sult and Chris Vaughn.

Poore wasn’t far behind Hubers in looking to qualify for an automatic bid in the 5K at the Indiana Open running a 13:47.05. Poore, a senior, finished third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the outdoor NCAA championships last year.

De’sean Turner who won the Big Ten steeplechase, also returns after finishing sixth at the NCAA outdoor championships in the 3,000-meter steeple.

Three runners return from the 4×100 meter relay team that finished seventh at the NCAA championships and second in the Big Ten. Tyler Sult, Kind Butler, and Chris Vaughn return, giving IU a formidable sprint lineup.

Other notable returnees include Zach Mayhew who finished sixth in the 10K at the Big Ten championships and Darius King who finished fourth in the high jump. Freshman Cortland Etgen who ran for the USA junior team last year also looks to add depth to the already deep sprint lineup.

After the Indiana Open meet many of the IU athletes were happy with their performances but felt like they can only get better.

Hubers was six seconds off his best ever time in the 5k and believes by the end of the season he should be 20-30 seconds faster.

Butler also believes the best is yet to come as he and the rest of the sprinters look to continue their friendly rivalry.

Clearly IU returns plenty of talent this season, but success will come down to whether or not the team can stay healthy and progress like it is capable of doing.

The Hoosiers have a very strong team but are weak in a couple of the field events.

It will be paramount that the rest of the team makes up for those lost points and carries the team.

With a supremely motivated and well-disciplined team, Indiana looks to be moving in the right direction.