After taking seven first place finishes in last weekend"s George Mason Patriot Games in Virginia, the Michigan men"s track team believes it can be just as explosive this weekend at the USTCA Collegiate Challenge at State College. Mile runners Nathan Brannen and Brian Turner posted NCAA provisional times to lead the team at last weekend"s meet. Though the competition at George Mason was intense, Brannen cruised down the last few hundred meters of his winning mile run with thundering cheers from his teammates and supporters.

"This past weekend was the best time," Brannen said, " I finally got into a race with people with similar abilities, then I could shine."

As a freshman, Brannen is extremely excited about his strong performances this season after replacing his injured teammate, Alan Webb. His teammates have been some of his biggest fans this year.

"The team was awesome there, they were really loud, and it was a really fun meet," Brannen said.

Brannen and his teammates think last weekends meet was the most exciting meet so far in this early indoor track season. Like Brannen said, he and his teammates faced national-championship caliber runners that tested their strengths and their weaknesses.

For the upcoming meet this weekend at Penn State, Brannen hopes to expand his success in other events, such as the 800-meter dash.

"This is my first 800 meter of the year," Brannen said. "I"m looking for the 800 meter qualifying time now. I just want to get a good time under my belt this weekend."

Michigan coach Ron Warhurst wants to insert some new distance medleys into the Penn State meet.

"This weekend should be very interesting," Warhurst said." We"re going to try to qualify a distance medley, consisting of a 1200, 400, 800, and 1600-meter distance."

Substitutions are readily available on the team"s strong roster this year. Warhurst is confident his performers can be successful in this relay medley. Brian Turner will head the relay, Nathan Brannen will be the one replacement for Alan Webb at the anchor, senior Ike Okenwa will run the 400-meter leg and Jeremy Schneider will run the 800-meter leg.

"We"re going to try to automatically qualify for the National Indoor Championships this weekend," Warhurst said.