NU's New Indoor Track Ranks Among World's Finest

Lincoln, Neb. -- The Nebraska track and field team will spend the 2001 indoor season training and competing on a new hydraulic-banked track, one of the finest indoor facilities in the world. Manufactured by Mondo USA, the new track was part of a $2.979 million renovation. Hawkins Construction of Omaha was the contractor in charge of the project, which was finished 44 days ahead of schedule.

One of three hydraulic-banked tracks in the nation and one of seven in the world, NU's 200-meter track has the largest radius (67 feet) of any indoor-banked track in the world. The banks and all the running surfaces rest on a sleeper system, which is made of both steel (banks) and wood (straightaways) frames.

Manufactured in Gallo d' Alba, Italy, the track traveled over 6,000 miles to Lincoln. Engineers can trouble shoot and calibrate the track from Italy using its high-tech control system.

Seventy-thousand square feet of rubber flooring was used by Mondo to cover the floor of the facility. Active in the rubber flooring industry for 50 years, Mondo has been the official track supplier of the last six Olympic Games. With the help of a double-layer rubber construction, more than 110 world records have been established on Mondo surfaces.

Nebraska, which opened its indoor season in Manhattan, Kan., on Jan. 12-13, will play host to meets on Feb. 3 and Feb. 17 before playing host to the 2001 Big 12 Indoor Championships Feb. 23-24.

 

Nebraska Home Indoor Track and Field Schedule:
Feb. 3 (vs. Kansas State and Abilene Christian)
Feb. 17 (Prairie Wolves Invitational)
Feb. 23-24 (Big 12 Indoor Championships)
March 3 (Nebraska Last Chance)