Gaining experience will be the goal for the ISU men’s and women’s track teams at Friday’s Panther Classic in Cedar Falls.

This goal will be especially important for two athletes who are getting ready for the pentathlon — Erica Lynn and Carey Morris. The indoor pentathlon consists of five events: the long-jump, high-jump, shot-put, 60-meter hurdles and 1,000-meter run. Even though the pentathlon will not be recorded, Morris and Lynn will compete in those events to get good practice. The pentathlon will be recorded at next week’s Iowa State Classic.

“I usually run the 800 [meters], so this will be the first time in my life that I will run the 1,000 and the 60-meter hurdles,” Morris said. “We will be working on confidence and strength to get ready for the big [Iowa State] classic. The toughest competition will come from our own teammates.”

Lynn, known as “E-Dog” to her teammates, has some experience with the five events.

“I did all five events three weeks ago at UNI,” Lynn said. “I was right at my P.R. [personal record] so I was satisfied. I want to continue to work on strength in all events and get prepared for the conference meet.”

The men’s team wants to keep its momentum going. Tony Stewart, shot-putter and weight-thrower, has recorded a personal record at every meet so far this season.

“My goal is to keep improving and to achieve another P.R.” Stewart said. “I want to keep making myself and my teammates better. Although I still have a little ways to go until nationals.”

Stewart doesn’t think the competition will change his winning ways.

“You always compete against yourself,” Stewart said. “Although I always compete with my great teammates — Kris Ruhland and Kendall Fogle — and we push each other. But this meet gives us another chance to get out of practice mode and compete against other competition.”

Throws coach Dan O’Mara said Stewart’s technique continues getting better and faster.

“His strength level just continues on the right path. He has to work through and train through this meet to get ready for the [Iowa State Classic],” O’Mara said. “There will be more good competition there.”

“[The Panther Classic] is good for our kids to get experience,” men’s track coach Steve Lynn said. “Some will race while some will keep training. Also, we will have some competing in different events.”

Women’s track coach Dick Lee said this meet will be good for his younger athletes.

“This meet gives some of the kids who need experience racing [that opportunity],” Lee said. “We just look to keep gaining experience to get ready for the conference meet.”

Scott Roberts, women’s sprint, hurdles and multi-events coach, said he is looking forward to watching Morris in the 1,000 meters, Ada Anderson in the half mile and Sheba Clarke and Rebecca Williams in the 200.

“We are going to be doing a lot of different events,” Roberts said. “We want to get another race in so we can keep building for the next meets.”