Sam Stevens is multi-tasking this weekend.
The Lawrence University track and field star has his sights set on a pair of individual titles at the Midwest Conference Championships at Illinois College, but he also wants to spark the rest of the Vikings.
The junior from Suamico, Wis., is one of the favorites to win both the 5,000 meters and 3,000 meters, and he hopes his performances can push the rest of the Vikings to excel in the meet on Friday and Saturday at Illinois College’s Bruner Center.
“It will be nice having the 5k early,” Stevens said. “If that goes well, we can set the tone for the rest of the meet right there.”
Stevens owns the top time in the conference in the 5,000 at 15:24.61, and freshman teammate Kyle Dockery is second at 15:29.99 so the Vikings are looking for a strong finish in only the second event of the championships.
“I think I thrive on that to some extent,” Stevens said of his leadership role. “The biggest thing when I think back to my freshmen year was that I won the mile (at the 2010 conference championships). It wasn’t beating everyone else in the race, but that I was able to set the tone for the team. I try to go out every time with that and hopefully people look up to that. I’m trying to make an impact with our team and the mindset everyone has.”
The Vikings finished seventh at the indoor championships in 2011, and with Stevens leading the way, Lawrence is poised to continue moving up in the league.
“We could be as high as fifth, but I don’t see us finishing any lower than seventh. Our goal always is to move up in conference so we want to move up when we can,” Lawrence coach Jason Fast said.
“We could double our point total from last year. That would be pretty nice.”
Stevens has been at the forefront of the improvement in both the cross country and track program during Fast’s brief tenure as head coach. Stevens won the individual title in cross country this past fall and led Lawrence to its first men’s title in cross country since 1986.
“I think the biggest thing is Sam’s maturing as a distance runner,” Fast said. “Coming out of (Bay Port) high school, he was a 400, 800 runner. … This is the first season we’ve kept his mileage up from cross country, and he’s set personal bests in the mile, the 3k and the 5k.”
Stevens said, “I can’t get us into fifth place on my own. I want to do everything I can, but I do have a couple of individual goals.”
In addition to owning the league’s fastest time in the 5,000, Stevens is second in the 3,000 with a time of 8:50.83. Stevens also will run the anchor leg of the distance medley relay. That team finished third last season and wants to move up this year.
“We were third last year (in the DMR) so we were on the podium, but it would be a lot cooler to be at the top of the podium,” Stevens said.
And Fast believes Stevens could be standing on top of the podium more than once this weekend.
“Sam has an opportunity to win all three,” Fast said. “I know he wants to be top three in all three of those.”
Stevens’ success is important to the cross country and track programs as Fast continues to push both of those teams to greater heights.
“It gives validity to your program when you have a guy like Sam, and you can say, ‘This is here he was and this is where he is now.’ It legitimizes what you’re doing as a program,” Fast said.
MCHA playoffs set
Lawrence opens the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs with a quarterfinal series on Friday and Saturday at the Appleton Family Ice Center. Lawrence takes on Finlandia Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m.
The winner advances to the Harris Cup semifinals on March3 at Adrian. The winner of the Harris Cup receives an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Lawrence (12-10-3) enters the playoffs having won seven of its last eight. Finlandia (7-17-0) endured a pair of close losses to conference champion Adrian last weekend.
Trio of swimmers win
Lawrence won three individual titles at the MWC Championships, which wrapped up Sunday at Boldt Natatorium.
Senior Peter Brengel won the 100-yard backstroke for the Vikings, which finished fourth in the team standings. On the women’s side, freshman Taylor Winter won the 500 freestyle, and sophomore Hannah Gabriel won the 200 freestyle. The Lawrence women also took fourth in the team standings.
Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.