After competing in a laid-back event at the Big 4 Duals, the ISU women’s track and field team is already preparing for qualifying to the NCAA Championships.

Two of the most important events for the team at the Razorback Team Invitational include the distance medley relay and the 3000-meter run. ISU assistant coach Andrea Grove-McDonough has her goals set high for the runners competing in the event.

“We’re going to take a run at the [distance medley relay],” Grove-McDonough said. “I was really on the fence about that.”

Grove-McDonough believes the team’s distance medley relay is a lot better than last year’s, which lacked a strong first and last leg. She also believes it has a good chance of getting a qualifier to the NCAA Championships.

Sophomore Perez Rotich will head this year’s distance medley relay and redshirt senior Katy Moencq will anchor.

“[Last Year], we had a great middle couple of legs, we just didn’t have the other two legs in place,” Grove-McDonough said. “Perez [Rotich] is certainly showing she’s much further down the road … I think she has shown at the NCAA cross meet she’s now capable of running under some pressure and expectations, so she’ll lead off. I expect [Moen] to be under 4:40 and I think that’s the reason we’ll have a shot to get that DMR into the NCAA championships; certainly we’ll break the school record I believe.”

On the second day of competition, the team hopes to qualify even more runners for the NCAA championships in open events.

In the 3000-meter run, Grove-McDonough believes Moen, along with graduate student Margaret Connelly and Rotich have a good opportunity to earn qualifying spots in the big event.

Another runner who will be competing in the event is sophomore Heidi Engelhardt. Engelhardt set a personal record in the mile at the Big 4 Duals on Jan. 24 and hopes to set another in the 3000-meter at the invitational on Jan. 31.

“[My goal is] significantly breaking 10 minutes in the [3000-meter], which I’ve never done,” Engelhardt said. “My personal record in the 3K is like a 10:28, but I definitely think I’m capable of going under 10 minutes. I honestly don’t know by how much.”

An event not so strong for Iowa State is the 800-meter run. The team will run freshman Evelyne Guay in the event.

“[Guay’s] come a long way in a really short period of time, really dealt with some health issues,” Grove-McDonough said. “We didn’t give her first workout until she was home over Christmas Break, a real Mickey Mouse kind of workout. We’re hoping we can stretch a 2:08 out of her.”

The Razorback Team Invitational will take place Jan. 30 to 31 in Fayetteville, Ark. Fayetteville will also host the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 13 to 14.