Photo by Paul Aiken

CU sprinters headed to the Midwest Regionals are, clockwise from bottom left, Jeremy Dodson, Ryan Campbell, George Pincock, Abe Friesen, Trae Pflueger and Chris Abuan.

When Mark Wetmore went to build his University of Colorado track team, he searched for the best assistant coaches he could afford on CU's limited budget. Turns out Wetmore has a good eye for coaches as well as for runners, as the Buffs' sprint coach, ex-Baylor ace Brandon Couts, has helped the CU sprinting corps develop into a squad that, along with the throwers and the distance runners, can contribute when it counts.

After putting up some big points at the Big 12 Championships two weeks ago, Couts' sprinters are poised for another breakthrough today and Saturday when they compete in the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships at Drake University.

The goal is to qualify for the June 5-9 NCAA Championships in Sacramento, Calif.

"It is fun and exciting to have the sprinters running well," said Wetmore, pointing out that at the Big 12 Championships, the CU male sprinters scored the second-most points of any team. The Buffs placed fourth.

Wetmore had noticeable pride in his voice as he added that CU's 4x100 meter relay squad has broken 40 seconds, and has the third-fastest time in the region. Colorado's 4x400 meter relay also ran fast enough during the season to make it to this weekend's regional.

The top three teams in each relay automatically advance to the NCAA Championships, with the next three teams having a chance to earn an "at-large" berth, depending on how fast other teams around the nation run.

On Wednesday, Couts took this sprinters through their final pre-regional workout at the Potts Field outdoor track, and afterwards pronounced them ready to go.

"I like our chances," he said. "I see both relays getting through."Six Colorado sprinters are going to Drake — four who will compete, and an alternate in each relay. The six are seniors Chris Abuan, George Pincock and Abe Friesen; junior Ryan Campbell; sophomore Jeremy Dodson; and freshman Trae Pflueger. Couts will pick the four men for each relay out of those six.

In addition, Campbell is racing the open 100 and 200 meters; Dodson is in the 200 meters, and Abuan will race the 400 meters.

"Coach Couts has taken what he learned at Baylor and applied it, and added his own creativity to create a viable sprint program at CU," said Wetmore.

And Couts sees faster times in CU's future, saying his goal is to change the perception that sprinters cannot run fast at Colorado.

"We are trying to build a perennial sprint power," he said. "The difference this year is that they are in the second year of (Couts') program, are stronger and more efficient. They see that the harder they work, the better they run.

"I want the sprinters to be consistent, and if they are, eventually they will pop a good one."

No need to pop the big one this weekend, as long as the sprinters qualify. Wetmore said the coaches and the 17 athletes competing this weekend are looking at regionals "as the first round of the NCAA meet."

This first round is a bit tougher for CU's 4x400 meter relay team than for the 4x100 squad. CU's 4x400 relay will be starting in lane eight, considered the worst lane for a sprinter, because there are no other runners to key off of.

"I am still deciding on who to run leadoff," said Couts.

In the individual events, the Buffs need to finish among the top five in order to get an automatic entry into the NCAA Championships. Individual athletes also have a chance to advance based on their season-best marks, again on an "at-large" basis.