Sandwiched between two of the biggest track meets of the indoor season, the ISU track teams are in Cedar Falls today looking for a tuneup.

Last week, Iowa State hosted the Iowa State Classic, one of the premiere indoor track meets in the nation. Next week the men and women will travel to Lincoln, Neb., for the Big 12 Championships.

The UNI-Dome Open, happening Friday, will allow the teams to try some new things and to make sure they are firing on all cylinders heading into Lincoln.

“It’s definitely a tuneup meet,” women’s coach Dick Lee said.

“We have some of the kids running a distance different from what they will at the conference meet.”

Some of Iowa State’s top athletes will not be competing, in order to maintain the intensity of their practices, Lee said.

About six of his athletes will take the meet off, including star high jumper Gina Curtis-Rickert, Lee said.

The ISU men’s team also will not have their full squad in action, but the meet will provide experience for those who do participate.

“It’s an opportunity for a good meet for the people that won’t be going to the conference meet,” men’s coach Steve Lynn said.

Among those who will be in action for the men are the weight events. Lynn continues to be impressed with Kendall Fogle, who is coming off of a personal-best throw of 57-6 1/4 in the weight throw last weekend.

“Kendall has been a very, very good surprise for us so far,” Lynn said. “He has a chance of placing at conference.”

The men’s middle distance runners will also be in action. They will focus on the 1,000-meter run, a distance which is not found at every meet, Lynn said.

Long jumper Tony Douglas, who is now recovered from a sprain, will look to improve on his second-place finish at this meet last year.

“That will be a very good practice for him,” Lynn said.

Other schools competing in the meet include Northern Iowa, Wisconsin, Drake and various Division II and Division III schools.

The Cyclones have often fared well at the UNI-Dome Open. At the 2002 meet, the Iowa State women had six top-three finishes, including one event champion. The men grabbed eight top-three finishes with three event champions.