<p>If the Florida State men’s track team is going to make a sprint toward a third straight national championship, it will have to start this weekend.</p>
<p>The Seminoles are hosting the NCAA East Regional for the first time in school history, and are hoping to qualify a host of athletes — in both the men’s and women’s events — for the NCAA national championships on June 11-14 in Des Moines, Iowa.</p>
<p>With that in mind, FSU head coach Bob Braman’s motto to his Seminoles is simple and direct:</p>
<p>“We don’t care if you’re No. 1 in the country, No. 10 in the country or (No.) 100 in the country, do what you do, do what you know how to do and let’s get it done,” he said. “Let’s advance on.”</p>
<p>To advance to the NCAA Championships, an athlete must finish in the top five in the finals of his or her regional event, and a relay team must finish in the top three.</p>
<p>Some could also qualify for a limited number of “at large” spots if their season-best times or distances are fast enough or high enough in the national rankings.</p>
<p>All of those qualifiers could score meaningful points at the national meet for FSU, which is why this weekend is so important.</p>
<p>No, the Seminoles won’t be able to win the national title this weekend at Mike Long Track.</p>
<p>“But you can certainly lose one,” Braman said.</p>
<p>His squad’s three-peat chances should get a monumental lift with the return of one of the best sprinters in collegiate history.</p>
<p>Walter Dix, the 15-time All-American and the seven-time national champion, is scheduled to run in both the 100- and the 200-meter dashes after missing most of the season with a hamstring injury.</p>
<p>“It was his decision to run the (100) and the (200),” Braman said. “And it will be interesting to see how far his hamstring has come and how much closer he is to being the great Walter Dix.</p>
<p>“And I’m glad everyone will get a chance to see this guy run again.”</p>
<p>Dix is one of many potential Olympians who will be competing in Tallahassee this weekend.</p>
<p>With more than 100 college programs represented, Braman believes there could be scores of future Olympic competitors in town on Friday and Saturday.</p>
<p>“We’ve got a lot of elite athletes who will be here,” Braman said. “When you’re thinking about how many future Olympians will be here — whether for 2008 or 2012 — the number may be a couple of dozen. Or more.</p>
<p>“And a lot of those exist on our teams, but you will see some really crazy good athletes in all of the events.”</p>
<p>For the rest of the article see: [Defending</a> national champ FSU hosts first-ever NCAA track regional | tallahassee.com | Tallahassee Democrat](<a href=“http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080527/FSU09/80526010]Defending”>http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080527/FSU09/80526010)</p>