Iowa City, IA (U-WIRE) -- When Larry Wieczorek assesses his 2005 Iowa men's cross-country roster, the Hawkeye coach of 18 seasons doesn't find just one lone pony in his stable.

Equipped with seven of their top eight runners from the 2004 season - when Wieczorek guided his squad to its highest NCAA meet finish during his tenure - the Hawkeyes look to gallop up the steep Big Ten hill.

Arguably the toughest conference in the nation in cross-country, the Big Ten features last year's NCAA runner-up Wisconsin and returning individual national champion Simon Bairu. The Hawkeyes, however, return a veteran corps of runners who finished 13th at the NCAA meet and third in the conference, and aim they to make room alongside perennial powers Wisconsin and Michigan.

Wieczorek believes that Iowa's budding reputation in the conference is a result of last year's success and growing expectations.

"All seven of our top runners have been to the NCAA championships in their careers," he said. "Our expectations are to do better than we did last year. It's a new year, and you just can't rest on your laurels.

"We have lofty goals based on the personnel we have coming back."

Iowa returns its top two finishers from last season's NCAA meet - junior Micah VanDenend and sophomore Eric MacTaggart. VanDenend, a second-team All-Big Ten selection last year, crossed the 10,000-meter course at Terre Haute, Ind., in 52nd place. MacTaggart narrowly trailed his Hawkeye teammate, finishing 59th.

"It's great to have a strong 1-2 punch," Wieczorek said. "[VanDenend] is a terrific competitor, a terrific finisher. He can give us a low number. MacTaggart had a tremendous freshman season. That enabled him to come in this season better."

VanDenend and fifth-year seniors Matt Esche and Brian Rae are still nursing injuries from last year's track season, but Wieczorek, who calls this trio "three key guys." wants them healthy later than sooner.

"As they start coming back, as they start coming along, our optimism will rise," he said. "If all [seven returning] guys line up, we have every reason to be optimistic.

"Last year was [the team's] breakthrough year. This year, they know how to get there."

In the meantime, fifth-year seniors Dan Haut and Adam Roche and junior Jeff Kent will be called upon to help lead the top seven. Wieczorek also noted the "really impressive" emergence of true freshman Blake Schlotzhauer of Davenport in the preseason.

Despite the uncertainty of Iowa's lineup, Roche knows the potential that exists with this team.

"Early in the season, it's hard to say where we'll be at the end of the season," the Bensenville, Ill., native said. "We would like to be in the top five at the NCAAs."

VanDenend echoed his teammate's confidence.

"The highest expectations we have are on ourselves," he said. "We have huge goals for ourselves, and we bring pretty much everybody back."

The Hawkeyes will open the season on Sept. 2 with the first of two home meets. Iowa will host six teams, including Northern Iowa and Illinois, in the Hawkeye Open at the Ashton Cross-Country Course. The second home meet is the NCAA Midwest regionals on Nov. 12, the first time Iowa has hosted such an event.

(C) 2004 The Daily Iowan via U-WIRE