COLUMBUS, Ind. – Indiana University Columbus kicked off its first track and field season on Friday, March 14, at the University of the Cumberlands Early Bird Meet in Williamsburg, Kentucky.
The inaugural Crimson Pride teams consist of 8 men and 8 women, coached by Paul Hafen, a biology professor at IU Columbus. Tim Hoeflinger serves as the assistant coach for distance runners, and Xavier Rahe is the assistant coach for sprint runners. Robert Newlin is an assistant coach for throwing events.
“All four of us coaches have been around track and field for a long time, so it’s exciting to start a team from scratch,” Hafen said. “Our goal this year is to set 15 school records, break 15 school records, and score points at our conference championship.”
Many students of the Crimson Pride track and field team are dual-sport collegiate athletes and are also members of the IU Columbus cross country, soccer, and volleyball teams.
The team has been practicing at Northside Middle School since January. It has five track meets scheduled for March and April.
