By Catherine Laroche

The University of Louisville track and field program brought in the New Year with a No. 6 national ranking from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s 2008 preseason indoor rankings.

U of L will look to continue their recent success at the Indiana Open this Saturday after top 10 finishes at both the Indoor and Outdoor Championships last season and the national championships of juniors Tone Belt and Andre Black.

However, the Cardinals will have to see if they can hold onto their preseason ranking without the performances from Belt and Black. The dynamic duo, who were the first pair of athletes from one school to sweep the NCAA indoor long jump and triple jump titles in the same year, as well as becoming the Cards’ first ever NCAA champions, were recently listed on the 2008 track and field roster as redshirts.

“It’s an honor [to be preseason ranked No. 6],” U of L head coach Ron Mann said, “but it is not a true reflection of our team with the redshirt of both Tone and Andre. We will be a strong Big East team and will be a top 30 team, but it is unlikely that we would be top 10 without two of our best athletes.”

Mann decided to redshirt the pair to limit their competition schedule early in the calendar year and improve their chances for strong performances at the 2008 United States Olympic Team Trials. Belt’s knee injury suffered during the AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships was also a factor in Mann’s decision.

“I feel that our coaching staff has the best interests of the team and me as an individual in mind,” Black said. “They wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize any of that. Coach (Jake) Jacoby and Coach Mann talked with me about the reasons and goals during this redshirt season, and it’s a decision that I’m comfortable and confident with. I trust my coaches and all decisions they make for us.”

Mann said that the decision to redshirt Belt and Black was not difficult at all and that it’s very common to redshirt an athlete during an Olympic year.

Belt and Black said it won’t be easy to not compete for U of L this season.

“It will be very difficult not to perform because I’m a very competitive person and to see other people around you work hard and succeed makes you feel like you’re losing a step and falling behind,” Belt said.

Black plans to use the time off to prepare for the trials.

“With the redshirt this season, I will be training even harder since I’m not in competition for U of L,” Black said.

With the pair on the sidelines, Mann sees this season as an opportunity for the younger athletes to shine and for the team to come together to make up for the points lost.

“We are a quality team which has now won a conference championship,” Mann said.

“They have the taste of victory. It becomes contagious.”

Junior Rudon Bastian, among the many quality athletes for the Cardinals, will step up in the absence of Belt and Black.

Bastian recently competed in the long jump for the Cardinals and earned an NCAA qualifying mark en route to winning his first career long jump title with a career best of 25 feet, six inches at Southern Illinois University’s Fast Start Invitational.

Although Belt and Black will not be physically performing on the track for the Cardinals, they still plan to contribute to the team’s success.

“I plan on helping my team as much as possible,” Belt said. “I’ll attend every meet that I can and give them advice and knowledge that I’ve gained over the past two years.

I’ll also do the same at practice running around, doing what Coach Jacoby needs me to do.”

Black said his role will still be the same as team captain.

“I will be the person to help my teammates visualize their upcoming competitions and to make sure we give 200 percent in the weight room. I remind our team that we represent U of L track and field 24/7. So, as a team, we make sure everyone stays out of trouble and follows team rules.”

Belt and Black believe their absence will not have a dramatic effect on the team overall.

“I’m excited for this season ahead for our team,” Black said. “With the new additions to the squad coming in January and current athletes training and preparing as hard as they have, I’m confident we will still be a national threat and a conference contender.

We have a confident and hard-working team, and hard workers are likely to get positive results.”