Green in 55 Finals in NCAA

If there’s any stress being a defending champion, sprinter Michael Green and women’s distance runner Tracy Dahl-Morris weren’t showing it Friday at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field meet at Indianapolis.

“I’m feeling pretty confident,” said Green, whose season-best of 6.10 seconds in the event is the fastest collegiate time of the year.

Green, a Jamaican representing Clemson, was an easy winner in his preliminary heat at 6.13--the fastest of the 16 sprinters to move into the semifinals. Then he pulled away to win his semifinal heat in 6.12, with Randy Jordan of North Carolina, who ran in the same heat, following at 6.23.

Morris gave Iowa the early lead in the women’s team standing by winning the 5,000 meters for the second consecutive year. The senior ran away from the field over the final 200 meters to win with a career-best time of 15 minutes, 49.52 seconds.

Kevin Coleman of Nebraska was another successful defending champion, taking first in the shotput at 63 feet, 9 inches.

Erick Walder, who gave Arkansas victories in both the long and triple jump last year, began his bid for a repeat double by going 27-4 to win the long jump.

Junior Holli Hyche of Indiana State won the women’s 200 in 22.98.