For Syracuse hurdler Ramon Sosa, an extra year could mean an extra ECAC/IC4A title - and possibly more.
Sosa redshirted his winter season last year and thus was eligible for an extra indoor campaign. Sosa, a Queens native has impressed during his final weeks on the Syracuse roster, capped off by winning first place in the 60-meter hurdles two weeks ago at the Big East Championships.
Sosa and his teammates who qualified, 20 men and 13 women total, will compete in the ECAC/IC4A Indoor Championship in Boston.
For most of the team, this weekend marks the halfway point in the track and field season. With the indoor season officially completed on March 15 at the NCAA Indoor Championships, the Orange is looking forward to the outdoor portion of the 2009 campaign.
Syracuse head coach Chris Fox didn't mince words when addressing Sosa's chances at winning the title this weekend.
Ramon "is definitely the favorite this weekend," Fox said. "Unless something goes wrong he should be champion."
Taking home first place at this event would not be new experience for Sosa. The hurdler took home the top prize in the 110-meter hurdles race last March. He finished with a NCAA provisional qualifying time of 13 minutes, 88 seconds. Sosa also appeared in the 55m hurdles at the same event during his junior season. He notched 12th place with a time of 7.63.
"It should plan out better than the Big East (Championships)," Sosa said. "You peak at certain points and set yourself up to run bigger and faster."
But despite Fox's confidence in his hurdler and the amount of prep time he has put in, Sosa isn't ready to hand himself a medal yet. Sosa admits to having his mind focusing on the following weekend and the NCAA Indoor Championships March 14-15. He described this coming meet as "preparation for the national meet."
Fox commented on Sosa's mentality and agreed. "As long as he finishes first, second or third this weekend we'll be happy. We want him in top shape next weekend," he said.
Sosa, and the rest of the Orange made an effort to use the two-week hiatus between the Big East Championships and this coming Saturday to rest their bodies. "We pulled back a bit," Sosa said.
Sosa has no plans of pulling back over the next week however, as he enters his final 10 days as a member of the Orange track and field team. Concluding his collegiate career in College Station, Texas at nationals, Sosa hopes to another successful meet to his resume.
"I am very happy that I ended up here," said Sosa. "The program has done me very well." He said the track team "is the most important thing in my life right now."
djorland@syr.edu
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