Last weekend, the UW men's track team won its fourth consecutive Big Ten indoor title, beating second-place Minnesota by an impressive 52 points. It was an unexpected victory for the Badgers, as Assistant Coach Mark Napier, who specializes in field events, predicted the Gophers to be the big winners, but the results suggest success for the Badgers in the upcoming NCAA Indoor Championships. Napier credits team tradition, not the coaches, for the huge victory at the Championship, which took place at the University of Michigan.
\When we go to Big Ten meets, just the tradition through the years has really given these guys extra energy,"" Napier said. ""There's just not a thought about going and doing well; it's expected. They automatically know that and expect to win.""
Senior Ashraf Fadel finished the meet winning the heptathlon with six personal bests in seven events and set a UW record of 5,549 points, automatically qualifying him for the NCAA Indoor Championship. Fadel's first place finish was the only one in his three attempts at winning the heptathlon.
""I did well by all means, but I didn't [personal record] anything huge. I still am motivated and think I can get six or seven more [personal records]."" Napier strongly agrees with Fadel and said, ""compared to what he has shown in the last couple of weeks, there's a lot left.""
Fadel is one of four team captains on a team loaded with young talent, with 25 of 31 athletes either freshmen or sophomores. Being a captain includes additional responsibilities of leading the team by example and the occasional motivational speech.
On an individual level, Fadel has high hopes for the remaining indoor season, aiming first to be an all-American and second to finish in the top five at the NCAA Indoor Championship. After last weekend's record-breaking performance, Napier has confidence that these goals are within Fadel's reach.
""The ones that really take the work ethic to heart, have been the ones that have always been successful,"" Napier said. ""He knows that there are much better athletes out there but we've always instilled the belief that if you do everything right, work hard, are tenacious with it and you believe in yourself, not only can you compete amongst those guys, but you can beat those guys. Ashraf fits that mold and takes it to the next level.""
With the indoor season coming to a close, the outdoor season that looms ahead looks just as promising for Fadel, when he will compete as a decathlete.
""He has a lot more potential outdoors than indoors. We've always been more successful in the decathlon than heptathlon,"" Napier said.
In his last season, Fadel hopes to continue contributing to the team's success. He understands that achieving his own personal records will benefit the team.
""You do what you have to do for the team,"" Fadel said. ""You can be selfish and do the best you can do in your event and that's better for the team. In basketball, if you take all the shots, the team might not win. In track, it's a lot easier balancing the individual and team.\
