"We had a disappointing indoor season," men's head coach Barry Harwick said. "I think as a team we have improved a good deal."
Dartmouth finished seventh in the indoor Heps this winter. Since the majority of the team roster remains unchanged, the indoor season is a better indicator than the results of last year's outdoor Heps, where the Dartmouth men finished fifth and the women were sixth.
Cornell is the undisputed favorite to win both the men's and women's championships and continue their stranglehold on the outdoor Ivy crown. The Big Red men are looking to make it five straight years, while the women are aiming to extend their dynasty to six years.
While the expectations for the juggernaut of the Big Red might be high, several Big Green athletes will travel to Princeton with high expectations of their own.
Ben True '08 does not run during the indoor season, he skis instead, so as Heps arrive, he is just beginning to hit his stride. True will attempt to defend his individual championship in the 1500m, which he won last year in 3:44.17, the second fastest time in Dartmouth history.
"This is arguably the deepest event on the track so he'll face tough competition," Harwick said. "Ben is in top shape so we are expecting good things."
True will also compete in the 5000m run, where he finished second last year.
Jamila Smith '06 is also a force to be reckoned with, a triple threat in the throwing events -- shot put, hammer and discus. Smith was named ECAC athlete of the week after sweeping the events at the Dartmouth Invitational this year. Smith is a two-time league champion in the shot put.
Rob Kerris '07 heads into Heps with the longest discus throw in the league this season.
"He would love to go out on top," Harwick said of the senior.
Additionally, Dartmouth boasts two nationally ranked competitors in the decathlon, Tyler Koskenoja '07 and Tim Wunderlich '09. Both are provisional qualifiers for NCAAs.
On the track, the Big Green women will need something of a miracle.
"We don't have runners that are ranked in the top six," women's head coach Sandy Ford-Centonze said.
"We do have some that are ranked just outside of scoring position," she added. "Natalie Stoll could be a surprise spoiler in the 400m."
Victoria Michelotti '08, a finalist in the last two championships, is also a potential hurdles contender.
Field events coach Carl Wallin pointed to several other athletes who might net points for the Big Green.
"Some others to watch might be Natalie Todd-Zebell '09 in the pole vault," he said.
Todd-Zebell holds the school record in the pole vault.
"She's coming off of an injury," he added. "Jess Long '08 throws well in four events and is a sleeper in all of them."
Perhaps the athlete at the championships with the highest expectations of all is Erison Hurtault, a senior at Columbia. He has won the 400m in all seven of the Heptagonal champs so far in his career, and just one trophy stands between him and perfect Ivy career.
Even the New York Times has taken notice of Hurtault, writing a profile of the runner as he nears the end of his collegiate career and considers his options -- a shot at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing among them.
With so much excitement to see who comes out on top in the individual events this weekend, it's easy to forget the team aspect of the championship.
"Every time one of our athletes does well it excites and motivates the rest of the team to do their best," Coach Wallin said. "At the end of the day it's always nice to ride back to Hanover on a happy bus."
