For the very first time, Lied Recreational Center will play host to the inaugural Cyclone Open this Friday and Saturday. The first Cyclone Open comes just one week after Iowa State competed at the inaugural Bill Bergan Invitational at Lied, named for former Iowa State track and field coach Bill Bergan. This meet won’t carry quite the level of competition as last week’s meet, as there are no Big 12 track and field teams competing, but it is still an important meet for the Cyclones.

Assistant track coach Nate Wiens said, “It’s still about getting on the track and getting it done. We only have so many meets until conference.” Some of Iowa State’s athletes will sit the meet out, most notably some of the distance squad runners, including current Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Women’s Athlete of the Week, Lisa Koll.

The Cyclone Open provides a tune-up for the Cyclones to compete at one of the top indoor meets of the country, the Iowa State Classic, where world-class competition will be on the track at the Lied Recreational Center. Even though the Iowa State squads won’t be out in full force this weekend against top-tier competition, they still are going out to put on a show.

“I think anytime we’re going to put on an Iowa State jersey, we’re going out there to compete,” Wiens said. “It doesn’t matter whether its Big 12 schools or small schools, we put it on and we want to represent well.”

Representing themselves at the fourth indoor track meet of the season is crucial to the Cyclones as the indoor track and field season is quickly coming to a conclusion.

Head track and field coach Cory Ihmels stressed that it was still important to use this meet to accomplish this season’s goals.

“A couple weeks ago we were talking about the indoor season and now here we are, it’s already almost over,” Ihmels said.

This week of competition and preparation are crucial to the Cyclones as they move forward in a busy month of meets and competitions. Iowa State’s biggest meets: the Iowa State Classic, as well as the Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships both take place in the month of February. Coming off last week’s strong performance at the Bill Bergan Invitational where the men and women’s track and field teams were responsible for the setting of 28 new personal records, the Cyclones will be looking for improvement to put themselves in a better position for the busy month ahead.

The Cyclone Open will be held Friday and Saturday and Lied Recreational Center in Ames, with competition beginning at 3 p.m. Friday with the women’s weight throw and 5,000 meter run.